October 2009 Archives

October 31

Where do pro broadcast audio professionals buy and sell their gear? I'm looking for a specific portable recorder (Sound Devices 788t) and would like to know if there's a board or online community for people in the industry to buy and sell gear. posted by Joseph Gurl at 11:21 PM PST - 7 comments

How can I keep my kneepads on my knees while sprinting, sliding, crawling, and kneeling? Or, recommend some kneepads that would work better. [more inside]posted by Netzapper at 9:19 PM PST - 13 comments

I'm scared of what my personality is coming to be. I recently broke up with my wife that I love but had no passion (kissing) with (2.5 yrs). I feel like I've controlled her a lot, do not want her to express a lot of her own self because I am very meticulous and strategic about my words, how I talk, how I present myself, etc. I think that's the same thing that happened with my ex girlfriend of two years. They love me for who I am, I'm a fun loving guy, good looking, good personality, morals, understanding, extremely caring, etc, but I'm wayyy too much of a presence and seemingly controlling to my loved ones. [more inside]posted by Vandal at 9:18 PM PST - 46 comments

A couple sitting next to me on a plane were playing a fast two person card game that looked fun. I asked what it was called and they told me it was "Bomb City". Possibly I heard the name wrong. I figured I could easily look it up online and get the rules. No such luck. Does anyone know the rules for "Bomb City"? It was a two person game ( possibly more - I dont' know ), played with a deck of standard playing cards including jokers. I think each person started with three piles of two cards in front of them with the top one frace up. Each game seemed to take 5 or 10 minutes.
Thanks in advance.
- Dave posted by metadave at 8:06 PM PST - 10 comments

My wife used to love Tab energy drink both for the burst of energy and for the flavor. We can't find it any more. She needs an energy drink tonight to rev up for Halloween festivities. Are there any commonly found (we live in the midwest) energy drinks that taste similar to the Tab energy drink? posted by arniec at 4:57 PM PST - 8 comments

Visiting Old Port section of Portland, ME and looking for a nice restaurant for a family with kids aged 10 & 12.
Would like something nicer than a chain with burgers (though it's great if they are on the menu) and pizza, but not as high end Caiola's (pate and goat cheese won't go over well with the kids). We are hoping for a nice sit down, local beer and ambiance would be great.
We are staying at the Portland Regency Hotel and would prefer something within walking distance. Oh we are definitely going to Bintliff's for breakfast on Sunday. posted by revan at 4:00 PM PST - 11 comments

Where can i find a list and description of the disorders in the original Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-I)? [more inside]posted by assasinatdbeauty at 2:39 PM PST - 6 comments

I want to upload a few files on one computer, and be able to download them from wherever. I don't need Amazon s3 or Jungle Disk or other big backup service. I want it to be free. I don't need or want to share the files with anyone, but it's not super-sensitive information either. [more inside]posted by desjardins at 12:43 PM PST - 22 comments

Has anyone had experience baking with Truvia, which is a granulated sweetener that looks and tastes like cane sugar but is made from stevia? I like it in iced tea and on plain yogurt and fruit, but I would like to use it in muffins and maybe cookies and don't know how it would work. posted by Jenna Brown at 12:05 PM PST - 7 comments

How can I find good live music in Switzerland (or maybe Vienna or Prague or somewhere else) during the next few days? Or other interesting evening events? [more inside]posted by little e at 9:35 AM PST - 4 comments

What are your benchmarks for estimating/comprehending quantities? I'm terrible with magnitudes; if someone tells me that they weigh 85kg, or that they come from a city of 2 million people, this doesn't create a mental picture for me at all; they might as well be speaking another language. After a lifetime of being resigned to this, I've decided I'm going to familiarise myself with a list of benchmark quantities: my height, the height of my tallest friend, population of my city, etc. Help me compile a list of quantities I should be familiar with, and tips for learning to come to grips with quantities! [more inside]posted by surenoproblem at 5:57 AM PST - 27 comments

Why does this trick work? Turn your palm face up. To turn your palm face down you must twist your wrist, right? But if you do six simple moves you can turn your palm face down without twisting your wrist. The trick appears at the beginning of this talk by Lennart Green but can also be done backwards. posted by twoleftfeet at 3:15 AM PST - 24 comments

I'm new to Detroit - can anyone recommend some good internists or ob/gyns on the east side or maybe ferndale/royal oak areas? Indian village, eastpointe, grosse pointe, st. clair shores, roseville would be most ideal. I have a HAP HMO, not that I expect you to know what your doctor accepts, but just in case anyone answering happens to have it. [more inside]posted by lolo341 at 7:45 PM PST - 1 comment

Please help me identify these odd little figurines and "bunny house" teapot I bought for my bunny-mad niece.
http://i38.tinypic.com/2vlpt2x.jpg
I found them in St. Jacobs, Ontario, but even the owner of the antique store didn't know what they are called. I would like to buy more (from where? Ebay?"?) but I certainly can't until I know what they are called. The first two pics are of the figurines,the second two pics are of the back and front of the teapot. The teapot is hollow inside and certainly looks as if it was meant to be lit from within by a candle. All the items appear to be made out of plaster. Any help with identification would be much appreciated. posted by uans at 6:52 PM PST - 10 comments

Give us some ideas to have naughty fun in the day time. I don't know what I mean by naughty. really, I don't know. something risque. something fun. something we didn't do before but possible to do in the broad daylight. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 5:28 PM PST - 12 comments

I work for Acme Widgets, a competitor of WorldWide Doodads. I know that tomorrow we will be releasing an amazing widget that is going to completely outshine WorldWide's product lineup.
Obviously, I can't do anything with Acme's stock - that would be insider trading. But what about shorting WorldWide's stock? Is that allowed? posted by anonymous at 5:15 PM PST - 27 comments

From the "hard to google" category: What's the name of/ where can I obtain a copy of the jingle that plays in the background of the Apple "Mac vs PC" ads? (oddly enough, it's for my halloween costume...) posted by potch at 4:16 PM PST - 10 comments

Posting on behalf of my parents: they're moving to the Kansas City area and are looking for some information about what some of the areas around there are like. [more inside]posted by The Pusher Robot at 3:40 PM PST - 9 comments

I just bumped into a website justanswers.com while researching the world of medical second opinion. I have questions about the business and the human psyhcology behind it..... [more inside]posted by london302 at 3:24 PM PST - 3 comments

A few years back, I was watching The Chappelle Show and Chappelle, during one of his monologues, made a reference to a sexual act, using a word that I was not familiar with. I assumed the word came from hip-hop subculture. He followed up by saying something to the effect of, "I love using nasty words that white people/FCC don't know yet. They have no idea how dirty I'm being when I say _______ ."
Does anyone remember what that word was and what it means? Sorry I can't recall the season or the episode or more context. posted by i'm being pummeled very heavily at 12:55 PM PST - 7 comments

Bamboo.
I am in Merida, MX., with access to lots of long, tough bamboo, 1-3" thick. I would like to try working w/ thinner, and more flexible STRIPS of it, to weave or build furniture. Using the full, round pieces does not interest me; too heavy, bulky, rigid and looks bad.
But when I ask about cutting or stripping it, i just get blank stares. Cut in 1/2, ok, but thinner, lighter, no. I have bamboo baskets from other parts of Mexico, so it is done here.
Any ideas on getting more mileage from this cheap, abundant material? posted by ebesan at 12:50 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm an American who's just bought a lovely home in the EU. Yay! Now I have to make regular mortgage payments while still living and working in the US. How do I transfer money over to our EU bank account on a regular basis as cheaply as possible?... [more inside]posted by finitejest at 12:23 PM PST - 9 comments

Does anyone know of some good reads on conversation and social skills? I'm not suggesting that you can learn these subjects entirely by a book, but what I'm looking for is some methods to make communication a little bit easier when meeting someone or groups of people. [more inside]posted by Garden at 12:02 PM PST - 9 comments

MrR moved my music drive (to a larger hard drive yay!) and iTunes is not handling this gracefully at all. (He hates iTunes, will not use it, and therefore did not follow any of the procedures detailed in the answers to this question.) The directory trees are all the same, the only change is the drive letter. How do I get iTunes to look in the right place without losing all the metadata (ratings, play dates/frequency)? (PC; iTunes does not organise my library; the old drive is already removed from my computer and wiped. Changing each file path individually is functionally not acceptable (30K files!), nor is changing the drive letter.) posted by jlkr at 11:58 AM PST - 23 comments

I want to buy a ski roof rack for my late(st) model Honda Civic. Any suggestions? I'm concerned about any impact on the fit (seals) and finish (paint) on my car. How justified is this paranoia? Also I will likely eventually want to carry bikes or other cargo. posted by Wood at 11:25 AM PST - 4 comments

Where can I find this delicious Malaysian Coconut Milk Spread called "Kaya King" in Seattle, WA or anywhere else in the United States/Canada? [more inside]posted by dcruzin at 11:09 AM PST - 11 comments

If all goes well, in Spring 2011 I will have finally completed my Masters in Mental Health Counseling. But I want to apply my degree to higher education. [more inside]posted by zizzle at 9:20 AM PST - 3 comments

How can I develop a plan to help a small community organization organize its archival materials (something like a self-accessioning plan, I guess)? What should I read? Who should I talk to? [more inside]posted by liketitanic at 8:45 AM PST - 5 comments

The old adage 'No Pain, No Gain' appears intuitive when it comes to developing physical prowess. I only started to see gains in the gym after pushing myself to the point where I'd wake up thinking I'd be crippled for the rest of my life. Is the same true for cognitive improvements too? [more inside]posted by Zé Pequeno at 8:15 AM PST - 18 comments

Best practices for recording photo metadata? What I'd like to be able to do inside, plus many questions about what's possible today or likely to be possible in the future. [more inside]posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:14 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for examples of the film and tv cliché where images from surveillance video or photos are magnified and enhanced (usually to a ridiculous degree). [more inside]posted by dunk at 6:30 AM PST - 39 comments

What are some ethics considerations around a PhD dissertation? And should I do anything about a former colleague who I think violated them? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:17 AM PST - 17 comments

Is there a website that would show the world sorted by elevation?
I recently enjoyed reading Plague Year, a post-apocalyptic thriller. The main conceit of this science-fiction novel is that a nanotechnology plague that kills any warm blooded animal (including humans), but the disease self-destructs at altitudes above 10,000 feet. How much territory would this be across the whole planet? [more inside]posted by seasparrow at 5:56 AM PST - 7 comments

My desktop power supply has emitted some blue sparks, and not at all in the nice Mario Kart sort of way. It's pretty clear there's an internal short- is it likely that this fried any of my other components, and are there any defensive measures I should take when replacing it? [more inside]posted by DoubleMark at 5:12 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm trying to figure out how to create a XML / RSS feed of my Amazon web store products so I can update to Google Merchant.
There doesn't seem to be many functions / plug-ins offered by AWS and their help isn't very helpful.
I've done a fair amount of searching and have come up empty handed.
Would anyone have an idea how I might go about creating this feed? posted by Aegean at 4:44 AM PST - 0 comments

October 29

How fast can I learn ten-key? I started about 3 days ago and have worked 2-4 hours a day on the free testing sites. I have never worked in a business environment and am the hunt-and-peck kind of "typist". I am getting faster and am up to about 4500 KPH. Is this reasonable progress? Is there a tried and true good way to get me there faster or is slogging through a bazillion of the tests the only way to gain speed? I am usually accurate but can get thrown off by a distraction. How soon can I expect to get to 10,000 KPM? How fast does the speed-demon go? Can anyone get that fast with practice, or just a special few? Are there any keyboarding "bad habits" that I need to beware of? posted by bebrave! at 11:49 PM PST - 14 comments

I am trying to write a philosophy paper, and I am discovering that everyone is "rejecting" each other's principles this way and that! What are some scholarly ways to say "reject", "criticise", "affirm" (as in "affirmation of life"), "similarly", and other rudimentary philosophical words? Oh, how I've used the thesaurus already. [more inside]posted by lhude sing cuccu at 8:59 PM PST - 15 comments

I found three salamanders under a trash can sitting on the cement walk next to my house. Is there anything I can do to increase their chances of survival through the winter? [more inside]posted by alms at 8:46 PM PST - 6 comments

I want to build a pc with a powerful display adaptor for gaming, but that doesn't waste energy when I'm just doing office work. Any suggestions on how to do this? (multiple adaptors? software?) posted by Pres at 8:40 PM PST - 5 comments

Physics question - involving cars, air, momentum, force, etc... Basically - how can I calculate the side force from a crosswind on my car at any given speed? [more inside]posted by krisak at 8:22 PM PST - 24 comments

I'm going out of town soon. I will be packing some naughty items, that I would be embarrased if they show up on a baggage X-ray. How do I gain access to a lead apron? [more inside]posted by Eleutherios at 7:53 PM PST - 31 comments

TypeMyNotesPleaseFilter: I periodically find myself in need of this service, which obviously must exist, yet I cannot find. I have a bunch of handwritten notes, not written with any kind of fancy smartpen, but rather, just pencil on paper. I would like to be able to scan said notes myself and send them to some kind of service wherein I can pay someone to type them up and send me back a decently formatted copy with a turnaround time of 12-24 hours. Who do I ask to do this? [more inside]posted by zachlipton at 7:27 PM PST - 11 comments

Mapping question: I have a list of (imaginary) cities. I also know each city's as-the-crow-flies distance from every other city on the list. Based on this data alone, I would like to create a (hypothetical) map that shows all of these cities in their proper locations. I recognize that that the map's "rotation" would be arbitrary based on where & how you start plotting, but it seems that you should be able to plot out the relationships between cities properly. Is there software that can help me do this? [more inside]posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 7:03 PM PST - 24 comments

A week ago as part of a Snow Leopard install, I wanted to wipe and resize my boot camp partition. Disk Utility wasn't able to fix the file system, and recommended a reinstall from backup. A restore from backup later, and Disk Utility was still showing problems. Shortly after that, the disk stopped showing up in Disk Utility at all.
Fast forward a week, I'm running off of a firewire spare, and the disk reappears again. I repartition the hard drive, double-check with Disk Utility and a SMART utility, and the thing seems to test clean and empty. So what do I do from here? The other bit of data is that I started a restore, and at 5%, it seemed like it wanted an extra hour to do it. [more inside]posted by KirkJobSluder at 6:42 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm currently a third-year Engineering Science student at the University of Toronto, majoring in computer engineering. As part of my program, I'm supposed to do a 12-16 month work term. While there are a variety of large tech companies that recruit directly from this program, I'm interested in working at a smaller, preferably U.S.-based technology firm. How should I go about finding a suitable place? [more inside]posted by james.nvc at 6:42 PM PST - 7 comments

My family has lost touch with my oldest brother. He is retired and reclusive by nature but we would still like to know where he is living.
The last thing we know is that he sold his home in California some time in 2009 and then seems to have disappeared.
He may have moved out of the country as I can imagine he wasn't very happy with the Obama election and he had mentioned in the past his desire to move away from the U.S. either to Ireland or Buenos Aires.
Can anyone suggest a few good "finder" sites, hopefully free or nominally priced? posted by Tullyogallaghan at 5:41 PM PST - 8 comments

What is the song used in this YouTube video?
I know it's kind of a stretch, but I can't get it out of my head! Recommendations of similar music are good too. posted by DolorousEdd at 5:12 PM PST - 10 comments

I recently applied for a position as a pro-bono LSAT tutor, unfortunately I wrote my LSAT three years ago and I have no tutoring experience. Help? [more inside]posted by paradoxflow at 3:58 PM PST - 6 comments

Dog(Pug)TrainingFilter: So....We have this pug which will turn 1 in November. Hes a sweet little guy however he has some very bad habits. CHewing on any and everything, darts out of the door at any chance and then plays a game having us chase him, barks all the time outside, and pees anywhere he likes. Heres my question....Is $850 in your opinion average, above average,under,etc...to pay someone to train him. The women that would train him takes him for Two weeks and then returns him home. I do know she is good because my brother took his dog to her 7 years ago and his dog behaves great. Just an FYI...we would try a class but to be honest the wife and i just dont have enough time between our jobs and having two kids. posted by flipmiester99 at 2:47 PM PST - 18 comments

My PC crashed with all my bookmarks (bad me), and I can't remember a certain websites address nor can I find it on google. It was similar to this but showed apps that were designed to keep you more productive. People could comment below, and I found it very useful. I remember it had a brown logo at the top. I am sure some of my fellow metafites probably visit it. Shot in the dark. posted by Senator at 2:40 PM PST - 7 comments

There is a tacky (as in sticky) film on top of my newly installed tile floor. Help me make it go away! (the tacky film, not the tile floor, mind you) [more inside]posted by sandra_s at 12:05 PM PST - 5 comments

looking for an upscale vacation-home in Florida for a long weekend next march (or week if required) - gulf coast - directly on the beach, somewhat isolated/ somewhat near a "town" - with multiple bedrooms (4 to 7?) - know of anything -or good agencies? where to start?
(not looking for the Panama City "party scene" -- something more "adult" less-college.) posted by mrmarley at 11:50 AM PST - 16 comments

H1N1: I have a health condition that makes me a priority patient for the H1N1 vaccine. My county is currently only offering the vaccine to children and pregnant women. However, I live right on the border between two states, and the adjacent county in the next state is offering it to all high risk groups. Can I get it there? Is there a residency requirement? Will they ask me for identification? posted by HotToddy at 11:47 AM PST - 17 comments

I am looking to catalog my DVD library (mostly of DivX movies). I own an IMac. Is Delicious Monster the way to go? I want to be able to simply enter the title of the movie and have it come up with the real box art and keep it in A-Z or numerical order. No more no less. I emailed customer service and they never responded so I am consulting the Metafilter Oracle on this one. If there is anything cheaper or free, I am open to that, as well. Until then....a loonnnnnnng Excel spreadsheet. Thanks for your time and have a good Halloween weekend, folks. posted by snap_dragon at 11:42 AM PST - 12 comments

I have been taken over by an urge to embroider a Xmas tablecloth. Trouble is, I know nothing about embroidery or cross-stitching and I need a little (a lot of) help getting started, if you would be so kind. [more inside]posted by widdershins at 11:29 AM PST - 23 comments

I am looking for an album I found in a junk shop many years ago. The album was recorded by an all-girl quartet from Liverpool who cut an entire album of Beatles songs. They had a name that evoked the Fab Four (my recollection seems to be "She-Beatles" or "Beat-Elles", but nothing under either name comes up on Google) and the cover was an homage to With the Beatles. The liner notes on the back detailed the similarities between the Beatles and the all-girl band portraying them, but ended with a sentence like "...and they would like to be judged on their own merits". The album came out around '64 and was contemporary with the Beatles. Unfortunately, my Google fu is failing me. Can anyone out there help me ID this album/band? posted by pxe2000 at 10:28 AM PST - 5 comments

There's not a lot of info on either Adobe or MS's web sites about compatibility problems between Adobe CS4 Suite apps (particularly Premier, Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator CS4 versions). They suggest it's okay but don't come right out and say compatible (at least not where I have read). Any horror stories before I let our IT people order new Win 7 machines? posted by aught at 8:46 AM PST - 6 comments

Looking for the perfect laptop for traveling. Priorities are durability, lightness, and battery life, in that order. Performance is not too important, but it must run Windows 7 like a champ. Willing to consider netbooks. [more inside]posted by Afroblanco at 8:31 AM PST - 19 comments

What is the word for an experience that you have to live through in order to fully understand or appreciate, such as having a child or parenting? My Google-Fu is failing me.
Thanks! posted by mcarthey at 8:20 AM PST - 32 comments

I have inadvertently spun the dial and reset the combination for this lock while it was open and the shank spun out. Now I can't get it to close without the unknown new combination.
Any suggestions? I've tried listening for tell-tale "clicks" to no avail; that's about where my lock breaking skills currently end. posted by whitewall at 7:59 AM PST - 9 comments

I frequently want to avoid the girlfriend, even though I always have a great time with her. This has happened with every girlfriend I've ever had. Is this an issue for you? How do you deal? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:20 AM PST - 23 comments

I've been thinking about updating a site I built that keeps a log of songs different radio stations are playing.
To help me update it, please tell me what your favourite major or national level radio station is. Bonus marks if you know they release their "recently played" list as an rss feed. [more inside]posted by twine42 at 7:19 AM PST - 4 comments

I'd like to work on an open-source project, but I have zero (seriously, zero) coding or other technical skills. I do, however, do public relations for a living and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it. Do these kinds of projects need PR/communications strategy help, and, if so, how can I get started? [more inside]posted by downing street memo at 6:56 AM PST - 7 comments

I need great, imaginative, appealing names for black dogs! A friend operates a rescue organization for dogs and cats, and mentioned how hard it is to find homes for black dogs (see Black Dog Syndrome)... and since I was already helping her come up with names, I thought I'd come up with a special list of Black Dog names that are perhaps evocative of personality types, and that might inspire interest so that potential adopters will maybe find their curiosity/sense of whimsy piqued and stop to at least read a description on the website, instead of just passing by any photo of a black dog. Some specific considerations inside... [more inside]posted by taz at 6:36 AM PST - 66 comments

NYC Filter: I'm getting a financial windfall in a couple weeks, and have decided to treat myself: salon, massage, and then taking myself out somewhere. but...I've been broke so long I don't know where to go. Help? [more inside]posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:48 AM PST - 21 comments

A few weeks ago, you guys helped to reassure me that I could drive from Atlanta to Vermont in December.
Now, I'm asking you to offer some suggestions for that drive.
The plan is to drive for three days, stopping after about 6 hours of driving each day, and arriving in Vermont on the third day.
I'm looking for suggested routes and cities-towns-villages to stop in that would have some combination of a) cool place to spend the night, b) a nifty place to get a bite to eat, and/or c) something cool to see/do.
Thanks for any suggestions! posted by tmharris65 at 1:32 AM PST - 9 comments

Slow cooker/rice cooker question. I have a standard Cuisinart rice cooker and I've heard it said that you can cook other things in it as well, so my question is, can I use it as a slow cooker, in other words, will any slow cooker recipes turn out just as well in a rice cooker? If so, please share them with me! [more inside]posted by Jubey at 9:27 PM PST - 11 comments

(RelationshipFilter) My now boyfriend used to sleep with a good friend of his, while he was dating me. How do I deal with my feelings about him hanging out with her? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:04 PM PST - 50 comments

Looking for a humorous t-shirt design. A couple is sitting at a table. A talk bubble says, "Honey, should we use a condiment?" Beneath that: "Safe snacks" [more inside]posted by caveat at 9:00 PM PST - 2 comments

I am a nontraditional student who has gone back to school and completed an AA degree.I work all kinds of messed up hours and I have found that pursuing a bachelors of General studies (over the internet) at the university of Missouri will work for me.I can have the tests sent to a local library or school for finals etc. I was wondering what the Meta filter community thinks about a bgs. Has it helped or hindered them. posted by Upon Further Review at 8:15 PM PST - 6 comments

I've just returned to college as a mature student and I'm doing really, really well (marks in the low to high 90s, for the most part). I'm proud of myself but I have no idea how to interact with my classmates who aren't doing as well without sounding like a complete jerk. I don't have experience with this! I could use some advice or etiquette. There have been some... incidents. [more inside]posted by VioletU at 6:35 PM PST - 55 comments

NameThatNovelFilter: Early twentieth century (first couple of decades) historical novel by a Russian emigre to France, set around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. IIRC, it's part of a trilogy. Near the beginning of the novel, our hero is recruited by William Pitt the Younger (whose interest in said hero seems not entirely professional). What is this? I'm drawing a complete blank, and GoogleFu has failed me. posted by thomas j wise at 6:12 PM PST - 10 comments

As a part of my academic research, I'm digging into the Edison Papers, and finding (mostly handwritten) archival materials from the late 19th century. I'm embarrassed to admit I can barely read the cursive handwriting of Edison and his colleagues. Does anyone know where I might find samples of 19th-century script to help me learn how to read this archival material? [more inside]posted by Monsters at 5:11 PM PST - 8 comments

California - Bay Area: where can I try out crazy good office chairs?
All the advice posts/asks say to test a chair out before buying and I want to try the Think, Leap, Freedom, Aeron, or your other suggestions before my office buys a new chair for me ... but where (from SF to Oakland to Sonoma to Napa) can I go to get test these chairs out? [more inside]posted by unclezeb at 4:57 PM PST - 6 comments

I am running After Effects version 7.0.1 on my Intel iMac 2.8GHz with 4GB of RAM running Snow Leopard (10.6). It is slow. Slow to render, slow to play, slow everything. Most likely because it's using Rosetta to translate.
I'm considering updating to After Effects CS4 but I have several questions.
Is After Effects CS4 64-bit?
Given my machine, will I be able to utilize OpenGL? My iMac is version 7,1.
Will I see a noticeable speed bump?
Will I become an effects guru?
Thanks. posted by captainscared at 4:51 PM PST - 8 comments

I am getting ready to purchase an iphone. Just wanted to know if I can access auction sites that require me to log in with a password. Also I would like to know will I be able to bid on items. Please help, as I don't want to make a wrong decision. Thanks posted by Noodles at 3:53 PM PST - 9 comments

What type of paper should I use to send materials (CV, cover letter, teaching philosophy) for an academic job search? Is linen too much? Should it be anything other than pure white? posted by one at 2:41 PM PST - 14 comments

I have a Typepad blog. I would like to make all my posts that are more than a certain period old - say, a week, but that might change - inaccessible except to people who have registered with me by providing their name and email address. Can I do this using Typepad? [more inside]posted by londongeezer at 2:08 PM PST - 2 comments

What is the best online deal for a laptop in the range of $300 to $500? This seems to change month-to-month, so I have not relied on earlier posts. [more inside]posted by kensington314 at 2:07 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a meeting shortly with someone who will have just come from her sister's bedside; the sister has the swine flu. I am pregnant and wondering if I am being overly cautious to want to cancel. Thoughts? [more inside]posted by pipti at 2:04 PM PST - 17 comments

Okay, fantasy novel ID two-fer. Book One: people live in villages that are suspended on the side of an enormous cliff and a girl is born who has wings. Book Two: set in a world made up of bits of earth suspended in a void, cape-fighters, a spider-god.... [more inside]posted by otolith at 1:02 PM PST - 7 comments

What are some of the effects of long term child abuse?
What methods are used to help adults recovers from the effects of said child abuse? [more inside]posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:08 AM PST - 22 comments

What is the graph or plot called which:
- is an equilateral triangle
- has three axes
- each axes is perpendicular to a side of the triangle? [more inside]posted by Peter Petridish at 10:59 AM PST - 10 comments

I feel like my life is over and I'm only 35. I feel completely stagnant and stuck, relationshipwise and jobwise. Do I need to change things or do I need to learn how to deal? Help me figure out how to be a happier person. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 10:33 AM PST - 35 comments

I got a traffic citation last night, and I think the cop was a dick. I want to report him, but I want to do it the right way. What do you think? [more inside]posted by hollyanderbody at 9:42 AM PST - 105 comments

Does anyone out there have any recommendations for stable and easy winter commuting involving ~15 minutes transportation (with a bike or a car) on a busy road and a big hill? Electric tricycle? Do you think it would be less likely to slide-out than a bike? Recumbent bike? Looking for others in a similar situation. [more inside]posted by Eringatang at 9:16 AM PST - 21 comments

What should be included in a "one-page research plan" for a postdoc application (in the humanities)? What should the format be? I can find a lot of advice and samples for the sciences, but not for a humanities position. Advice and links would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! posted by Original 1928 Flavor at 8:48 AM PST - 1 comment

A prospective employer is sending me a Rembrandt Portrait Profile for me to fill out. Does anyone in the hive have any experience with this tool? What will it really tell them about me? posted by bluejayway at 8:40 AM PST - 4 comments

I need to find the most affordable flight from south Georgia to California. I seem to have too many variables though. How do I find the best flight from multiple possible departure airports to multiple possible arrival airports? Throw flexible dates in there as well just for fun. [more inside]posted by Talia Devane at 7:54 AM PST - 7 comments

I am putting together a list of horror films for a Halloween Movie Marathon with my friends/family. What are the absolute essentials I need on this list? [more inside]posted by Taft at 7:41 AM PST - 58 comments

So for the past couple of years when the weather starts cooling I've noticed that our garage door can sometimes become "stuck" when trying to open. This only occurs if the outside temperature is cold (below 40F). [more inside]posted by covert7 at 7:22 AM PST - 6 comments

Interior/exterior design memory loss: a few months ago I was casually flipping through one of the many interior design magazines on the shelf at Borders and saw an article about an amazing place that I'd love to find more details about. Unfortunately I was distracted and don't remember many details... [more inside]posted by Beautiful Screaming Lady at 5:49 AM PST - 0 comments

Dating filter: How do you broach the “What are we doing?” question without striking fear into the hearts of all involved? Also, what do you do afterward? [more inside]posted by fiasco at 9:56 PM PST - 13 comments

I would like to buy a pearl necklace as a special gift for a young (14 year old) woman and would like to know good places to shop online. I'm hoping to find a single 18" strand of either uniform or graduated pink-white pearls for not much more than $100. (I also welcome opinions on uniform vs. graduated.) posted by espertus at 8:18 PM PST - 26 comments

Taking care of some things so money’s tight. What are some kickass, cool, mellow things I can do for free or dirt cheap! Preferably in Brooklyn, NY? [more inside]posted by Hydrofiend at 8:17 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm applying to grad school for a Masters in Library Science, and I'm unsure if I should re-take the GREs. I did very well on the Verbal and Quantitative sections - both scores were above the averages of accepted students for the MLS programs I'm looking at. But I only got a 4 on the writing section (putting me in the 41st percentile). The average for admitted students is around a 5. Will my admittedly poor showing on the writing section hurt me enough that I should take the GREs again? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:23 PM PST - 17 comments

I need visual examples of vintage influences (1920s-1950s) in current popular culture to prove retro design is still hip with the cool kids. [more inside]posted by miss lynnster at 6:00 PM PST - 36 comments

I'm trying to get my old files off of an old Hard-disk. Old PC is XP newer PC is Vista. I removed the Hardisk from the OLD computer. I bought a USB to SATA/IDE cable. When I plug in the Hard-disk via USB, I hear the confirmation tone that you hear everytime you plug in a USB. I see a "ST340082 0AS SCSI Disk Device" in the "Safely remove hardware" icon in the tray. but I do not see the Drive. I can't really afford an External Hard drive. But I will eventually if I have to. Cna anyone help me please. posted by Student of Man at 5:56 PM PST - 12 comments

Am I just gun-shy after the "Balloon Boy" hoax or are there legitimate reasons to question whether Jessica Watson is really sailing around the world? What evidence can you find to support the theory that this is another hoax and what evidence can you find that refutes that theory? [more inside]posted by kellygreen at 5:56 PM PST - 22 comments

Amazon.com discount search? JungleCrazy, a site that shows Amazon items with at least a 70% discount, has gone offline. Are there any other sites that let me search by discounts? posted by Sufi at 5:46 PM PST - 6 comments

My girlfriend and I are making very little money this year. What are some services/discounts/aid we can qualify for? This is in Berkeley, CA, USA, and we live together. [more inside]posted by ORthey at 4:45 PM PST - 19 comments

I have a friend attending school in China (studying traditional Tibetan medicine) who needs something to do in mid-December to mid-February when the campus shuts down. He can't work in China, but he would like to earn money somewhere, somehow. But how? and where? [more inside]posted by Busoni at 3:14 PM PST - 4 comments

I am looking for a Website I once used that allowed you to enter in a departure city and a date and then gave you all possible worldwide flight destinations sorted by cost. What was that site? posted by tinamonster at 2:41 PM PST - 10 comments

CareerFilter! Help me to "diagnose" why I'm so tired of my career and which directions will lead to more satisfaction in future! Patient history, current symptoms and potential therapies under the fold (neatly organised but very long!!!). [more inside]posted by anonymous at 12:49 PM PST - 3 comments

Wacom tablet (Graphire2) on Win2K machine. Sometimes the pointer goes nuts and becomes jumpy and unusable until I unplug and replug the tablet. Drivers appear to be up to date. Any thoughts on why this happens? [more inside]posted by cadge at 12:33 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm 54 years old, fairly new (2+ years) into a yoga practice. I'm unable to open up enough to successfully do many of the poses; my muscles are not only tight but also actually shorter (from what a trusted massage therapist told me) shorter than the same muscles on other people, presumably because I've carried stress by tightening up all these years. I do believe in this practice, and the possibilities of actually opening up these muscles over time -- is this just delusional? [more inside]posted by dancestoblue at 12:03 PM PST - 23 comments

I am in need of a new desktop computer. I am wondering if I should wait until Black Friday and brave the crowds or take advantage of some of the Windows 7 deals this week. I live in the Twin Cities, MN metro area if that makes a difference. posted by dyno04 at 11:51 AM PST - 15 comments

So, I'm trying the Depo Provera hormone shot birth control for the first time. It's been about 2 weeks since my first shot, and I'm experiencing some weird effects which may or may not be related to the hormones now coursing through my veins. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 11:49 AM PST - 12 comments

Does this Dewey decimal-like numbering system seen in requirements documents, site maps and any numbered system where you don't have to rewrite the numbers every time an update is made and looks like 1.2.1.1 have a name? [more inside]posted by joelf at 11:27 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm an unemployed third-year law student, have my last interview in four hours. Any tricks on appearing intelligent, charismatic, and, most importantly, not desperate?
Have had four interviews with different employers so far, have not heard anything back. This is my last shot at employment before I go back to desperately combing job listings. Interview is with a judge in a district I've never lived in, who is of the opposite political persuasion as I am. This will be my first of this type of interview so give me your all-purpose i'm-the-right-person-for-this-job tricks. posted by anthropomorphic at 11:10 AM PST - 25 comments

Going to Houston for a three week training course. Evenings and weekends off. Help this pasty Canadian be able to rave about it upon my return... [more inside]posted by bumpkin at 11:09 AM PST - 16 comments

I would be visiting Tokyo in three week's time. Can you tell me about any must-buy weird, cool or geeky gadgets that I could get during my time there, and where to get it ? Bonus point if it's easy to figure out even if it's in japanese, or if it has english interface, and not too expensive. posted by joewandy at 10:17 AM PST - 19 comments

New York City apartment question: Is it normal for my broker to tell me I will receive hard copies of my lease a "couple of weeks" after moving in? [more inside]posted by 2bucksplus at 9:58 AM PST - 10 comments

Is this girl "out of my league"? I met an attractive (in every sense) girl recently, and we have a lot in common - except earning potential (and maybe to some extent family/social background). [more inside]posted by KMH at 9:30 AM PST - 80 comments

A friend and I are looking for a certain word... it would be related to loving something so much it makes you go weak. Both of us believe there's a word for this but we can't quite put our finger on it.
It could possibly be used in this context: "Chocolate is my _____." [more inside]posted by simplethings at 8:57 AM PST - 67 comments

I have to write this big research paper for my cultural anthro class, and I'm looking for recommendations for cool/ interesting groups to study. I've got to write ten pages on them, so I don't want to get bored! It's got to be a fairly specific group, but one that is not too obscure - I need to be able to find material.
Thanks! posted by howgenerica at 8:19 AM PST - 31 comments

There is a video making the rounds that is supposedly from an extreme Japanese pranks show called "Panic Face King." I have been unable to find any additional information on this show, which leads me to believe this is not the real name (or not the correct translation). [more inside]posted by phonepimpster at 7:19 AM PST - 7 comments

I want someone to be able to put files on a webserver. I don't want to give them ftp access. I'd like to tell them: Attach your file to an email and send it to this address. Is there a way they can email an attachment so that it puts the attachment in a specified folder on the server? [more inside]posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:07 AM PST - 9 comments

Recomendations needed for a good way to keep group email communications clear and unmuddled, you know emails zooming back and forth, people messing up addresses, cross talking etc.
If you were about to embark on a email conversation with five people with much back and forth, one fraught with high emotions and perhaps family type dynamics, how would you make this work? Would you set agreed upon ground rules and/or would you use a tech solution. Is there a excellent ( hopefully free) software solution to this problem? posted by flummox at 6:29 AM PST - 15 comments

Lately I've had a few business ideas that I think need concept videos, which would involve moderate CG and production, to properly explain. What are my options, in the price range of nothing (film/graphics students?) to around $1000? posted by ben5757 at 6:29 AM PST - 2 comments

I'm changing jobs here in a few weeks, but the new one occasionally takes up much less of my time. Thus I need an extremely flexible second job to fill the time! What's out there? [more inside]posted by Willie0248 at 6:13 AM PST - 5 comments

What is the best 5-a-side football outdoor footwear? I play twice a week on modern outdoor five-a-side pitches (the ones with the little black rubber balls). My Nikes have finally given up the ghost and are being held together with gaffer tape at the moment. I thought Adidas Samba but my mate says they'd be wrecked in two matches. Any ideas? Ta. posted by mooreeasyvibe at 3:23 AM PST - 7 comments

Is there a way to calculate the relative cost of buying an older used car vs a later-model one? Taking into account depreciation, maintenance costs, etc. [more inside]posted by lunasol at 9:45 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm struggling to remember the title of a book I read in the 1980s, which had a real-world twist: hidden within the narrative was the location of a spot in the USA where some sort of treasure or reward money was located. [more inside]posted by squid patrol at 9:35 PM PST - 11 comments

Can't believe I'm blowing a question on this: what lovecraftian two syllable unicode font mangling word, starting with a Z, was posted on this site a little while back? [more inside]posted by leotrotsky at 7:55 PM PST - 14 comments

Are storks traditionally known for giving themselves enemas? In Don Quixote there is a line about learning certain lessons from different animals - one of which is the enema from the stork. [more inside]posted by Yiggs at 7:46 PM PST - 11 comments

TherapyFilter: Asking for a friend of a friend—can anyone recommend a competent therapist accessible to someone living in Richmond, Virginia... especially someone especially good at handling issues of anxiety and panic? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:32 PM PST - 1 comment

Teenager next door had a party that spilled over into the field behind my house. My cat shows up severely injured. How do I get to the bottom of this? [more inside]posted by Zebtron at 7:29 PM PST - 40 comments

How is a contract's governing state determined? Is it where it's drafted? Or is it something else?
"This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of.."
I am drafting a contract in PA but the recipient is in another state. Should the governing state by mine or the recipient. posted by xdeliriumx at 6:56 PM PST - 10 comments

Someone purchased an airline ticket for me, but booked it under my nickname instead of my legal name. I don't have any photo ID with my nickname on it. Will I be able to fly? [more inside]posted by arianell at 6:22 PM PST - 24 comments

Costume-filter: I would like to dress as a library for Halloween. How can I accomplish this in an inexpensive, recognizable, maneuverable/non-bulky way (aside from sticking random books to my bum?) [more inside]posted by chara at 6:15 PM PST - 8 comments

GrammarFilter: A friend and I have been discussing this construction: "would have had to go" vs. "would have had to have gone." It seems they are both correct and are almost always interchangeable, so it would seem the former, simpler version is preferable. Thoughts, explanations, examples otherwise? Are they both correct? [more inside]posted by Badasscommy at 5:43 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm in the process of getting an entertainment unit built. Instead of glass, I'm thinking of putting something over the doors that would be dark (to hide the LEDs), allows my remotes to work, and still allows decent airflow. Any suggestions what would work here? Speaker fabric? Screen door mesh? Something else? posted by Tilon at 4:17 PM PST - 10 comments

Cosmetic manufacturing in China. I've noted that certain regions of China specialize in different types of consumer goods manufacturing. Which city or region is ground zero for cosmetics manufacturing in China? [more inside]posted by Muirwylde at 3:35 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm a nanny for a woman who's been unemployed for 2.5 months and is now depressed. The means she is a) home ALL THE TIME, and b) driving me absolutely crazy. What, if anything, can I say? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 2:52 PM PST - 24 comments

What is the likely result of reporting an illegal rooming house in Toronto? e.g. How often do they end up getting cleaned up, repaired, and properly licensed vs. shut down (whether by the inspectors or by an owner who doesn't want to bother fixing it up)? posted by anonymous at 2:52 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm constructing two websites that display the progress of social science research currently underway. I need a system that allows ease of use for all involved student researchers. Is Wordpress the way to go? [more inside]posted by mahoganyslide at 2:20 PM PST - 4 comments

What are the best online or print resources in English language about lifestyle and individuality of soshoku-danshi (grass-eating/herbivore men)? Not looking for news articles, thanks! posted by parmanparman at 2:07 PM PST - 5 comments

Editors, I need your help with quotation marks! Which is correct?
a) I sent him an article about "The X Factor".
b) I sent him an article about "The X Factor." [more inside]posted by HeyAllie at 1:30 PM PST - 40 comments

IdentificationFilter: I watched "Away We Go" this weekend and need help identifying this song and also finding an online retailer for this lamp (or something close). Ready . . . set . . . go! [more inside]posted by siclik at 1:22 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm going to be in Gainesville, Fl, this weekend for The Fest 8 and I'm wondering which bands I should see. With 200+ bands, there has to hidden gems here. [more inside]posted by DumbPoet at 1:11 PM PST - 13 comments

Where did the "Wag More, Bark Less" bumper sticker meme start? My own sightings of them have gone from extremely rare to many cars seen in every single trip I take. Is it a dog owner/pet store promotional item? Is it a political thing? Something on Oprah I missed? posted by mathowie at 1:02 PM PST - 32 comments

Trying to remember the title of a tragicomic Russian novel I had just begun reading 5 years ago, before it somehow disappeared. From what I remember, the main character was an older woman who refused to adapt to the post-communist societal changes in Russia. It followed her story as she faced the changing landscape, and persecution in the face of her commitment to the old ideals. posted by thegreatfleecircus at 12:44 PM PST - 14 comments

Backpack vacuum cleaners - any experience or tips? I'm considering a backpack vacuum cleaner (ProTeam), but I'm unsure how comparable these are to consumer vacuums. It doesn't appear there are any carpet attachments with beaters (that are driven by a motor). Any have any experience with these? Or insights on which kind? posted by sgarst at 12:12 PM PST - 6 comments

[KitchenStorageFilter]: OK, this is pretty mundane, but we'd like to toss our old kitchen storage/Tupperware-wannabee containers and would appreciate some recommendations so we can replace them with something good. [more inside]posted by mosk at 11:09 AM PST - 36 comments

How can I auto-magically create a vCard from an email signature? I'm growing tired of the repeated copy-and-paste operations required to make new entries in my Apple Address Book when I have a nicely formatted signature file right in front of me. Is there a script or other handy tool that will do this work for me, guessing which bit of info is the name, phone number, etc. and placing them into a new vCard for me? posted by mfitz at 11:05 AM PST - 4 comments

I'd like to be less sensitive to rejection, as well as situations that aren't actually rejection but that I take as such. I've had social anxiety for as long as I can remember (I'm nineteen), and I have only come out of my shell in the last few months. Because of this, I'm incredibly sensitive to what others may think of me, since I've never really had friends and don't want people to dislike me. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 10:48 AM PST - 23 comments

Where can I get a Hobbes or Hobbes-lookalike plus toy in Toronto this week? I just made the last minute decision to go as Calvin & Hobbes for Halloween, where can I find an appropriate stuffed tiger on short notice? Bonus points for help with other costume elements, thanks! posted by JPDD at 10:27 AM PST - 12 comments

My mom is nearing 60 and is thinking about going back to her home country to travel alone. I'm all for it but it also worries the heck out of me! I wonder if there are any "older" korean women travel groups that she might be able to hook up with...and what the pros/cons are. Are there any places out there that she should particularly stay away from? I could just be overprotective here... but would love to hear any input about solo/group traveling in / around korea and whether there are any travel groups for older women. :) TIA!!! posted by Jujee at 10:19 AM PST - 19 comments

I am looking for some recommendations on antivirus/antimalware software for Windows. Specifically I am looking for an antivirus program that will allow me to selectively turn on/off components as needed. [more inside]posted by DerekTheGeek at 9:48 AM PST - 7 comments

I am trying to pull values from one sheet into another master sheet for daily trending. The OFFSET function works for a single cell, but I can't figure out how to copy that formula to the rest of the column. [more inside]posted by malcommc at 9:45 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm looking for a good (but lower end of the market) inkjet or giclee printer to print my artwork onto between A2 and A0 size canvas. Has anyone any experience of buying their own large printer as opposed to getting it done at a professional printers. And what is the difference between inkjet and giclee? [more inside]posted by jcwilliams at 9:14 AM PST - 6 comments

iPhone battery life: I'm flying across the Pacific tomorrow with a 2 year old and a 5 year old. They are iPhone fiends (god help them), but I need to know if there is a huge difference in battery consumption between the education apps they usually play ("Find the sheep"..."Baaaa") and videos.
I suspect that videos will use up battery life longer than these really simple apps, but I'm not sure. Anyone know? posted by zachawry at 8:08 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm eight years into a 30 year mortgage, having paid off about 10% of the total amount of the original loan. Does it make sense to refinance now if I can get a rate that is about 5/8 of a point lower than my current rate? This would shave about $250 off of my monthly payments. But then I'll still be paying for this loan for eight additional years after the original one would have been paid off, right? How do I calculate how much additional $$ I'll owe overall, and how do I decide whether paying more later is worth saving money now? posted by ericbop at 7:45 AM PST - 16 comments

I will be living in Montana for 6 weeks this winter. I've only ever lived in New England, with a couple of brief stints in other places. Please tell me what to expect. [more inside]posted by Rudy Gerner at 7:24 AM PST - 16 comments

I need some academically credible synonyms for same-sex erotic activity that are less ambiguous than "gay sex" and less clinical-sounding than "homosexual contact." [more inside]posted by Jon_Evil at 7:16 AM PST - 17 comments

I need some suggestions for data analysis and displaying trending information. At the moment I'm doing this with a huge amount of Excel pivote tables. The goal is to highlight increasing trends and top hitters in some sort of (semi)automated way. The catch is that the data is pretty deep. For example, say I have a metric for "server rebooted for unknown reason"(which, by the way, is one of 50 things measured)...I'd like to also see the break down by server type and then by, say, location and then to see it by week. [more inside]posted by Spumante at 6:41 AM PST - 6 comments

[Alt-health filter]: what are your top 10, most important, almost scientific (ie. generally accepted) foods and/or supplements that I should focus on to improve my health? Speaking from a general well-being, alternative health-type of point of view? [more inside]posted by HopStopDon'tShop at 6:38 AM PST - 29 comments

I understand that noise can become overwhelming rapidly to those in the autism spectrum or with ADD/ADHD syndromes due to increased sensitivities of all the sense perceptions, but I have also heard of research that suggests a certain measure of white noise and some kinds of music can help both ADD and autism spectrum young people focus their brains. [more inside]posted by bonsai forest at 6:20 AM PST - 13 comments

What are some tools and techniques I can use to become a better critical thinker? I asked my friend the other day what he got out of his tier-1 education and he said it taught him how to 'think through problems'. What exactly did his professors teach him about critical thinking? If I memorize the logical fallacies or make a pro's and con's list will I be a better thinker? Is 'going with your gut' an approved tactic in this pursuit? What things do you do to think through a problem and come up with rock solid plans, decisions, and recommendations? posted by jasondigitized at 6:11 AM PST - 16 comments

I've decided to stay and work in my on-campus studio five days a week. I live off-campus. What low-price food can I bring/prepare each week (lunch & dinner) that doesn't necessarily need to be refrigerated? (though I do have access to a microwave) [more inside]posted by pulled_levers at 5:42 AM PST - 14 comments

I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis a year ago. I am on Enbrel and it has helped a great deal with the pain I experienced in my arms and joints but I am still having really bad pain upon walking or standing in my low back, sacral joint areas...I swim and do a variety of stretches but it is not allowing me the recovery I long for. I use to walk a few miles everyday, hike on the weekends and I haven't been able to do that in a couple of years. I miss it! I have been reading up on Epidural Cortisone injections and I am curious about personal results people have had. I am interested in the good as well as the bad stories, so I can decide, after meeting with my Doctors, if I want to go through with it. In other words if the benefits outweigh the risks. posted by gypseefire at 5:06 AM PST - 8 comments

I've written 10 of 20 pages of dense literary research in short spurts here and there. How do I spend all day tomorrow finishing up the rest? As a lifelong procrastinator I'm fixated by the fact that my paper isn't due for another 7 weeks, but I'd rather complete the bulk of the work tomorrow. How should I prepare to do challenging intellectual work for long stretches of time? [more inside]posted by Viola at 3:35 AM PST - 20 comments

October 25

Does anyone know what studio/ stage the majority of Mr. Show was filmed in? I think the first season, or at least the first episode, was filmed in a different location than the rest of the series. Curious as to where that was as well. posted by joechip at 11:47 PM PST - 7 comments

Was there a measured increase in drug addiction due to the hippie movement? What were the drug addiction rates like in the 1950's compared to the 60's and 70's. Are there any resources that have historical data on addiction rates and the particular substances popular at the time? [more inside]posted by TheJoven at 9:02 PM PST - 14 comments

Help me get over a broken heart uber-style. I'm taking my recent relationship experience to the max and looking at why I do what I do. Can you help me? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:52 PM PST - 16 comments

Is the soprano sax a good instrument for a 10 year old, and how am I going to find a reasonable quality instrument for her under $400 dollars? [more inside]posted by singingfish at 7:39 PM PST - 19 comments

Duvet/comforter users! I know there are plenty of you out there, and I would like to join your happy (and warm) ranks, but I have one question: is there ANY way to get a duvet/comforter INTO a duvet/comforter cover that does not result in (a) an asymmetrical lumpy bunchy MESS, and (b) GIBBERING INSANITY?? [more inside]posted by Kat Allison at 7:37 PM PST - 25 comments

My Googling skills are apparently insufficient. I remember once upon a time seeing on the web a picture of a woman's tombstone that said something like "I told you you could have my (coffee cake?) recipe over my dead body" and underneath followed the recipe. Does anyone know where on the net it is? Thanks! posted by Daddy-O at 7:31 PM PST - 6 comments

My friend appears to have Basal Cell Carcinoma on his ear. He has no health insurance and has so far been denied any low-income health care options. This thing needs to be removed from his ear. We are in Portland, OR. Does anyone please know of any options/services/programs that can help with this sort of thing? [more inside]posted by ainsley at 7:23 PM PST - 6 comments

There used to be a website for California where you could enter anyone's name and get a public record on them- all their driving and criminal history was available, free, online. I can't find it anymore. Help? posted by BuddhaInABucket at 7:05 PM PST - 6 comments

I would like to take a flight to Europe in January. I don't care where in Europe I go, and can fly out of pretty much anywhere in the south (I would prefer Atlanta, though). Is there a site out there that doesn't require me to pick a specific starting and ending destination? posted by 2legit2quit at 7:01 PM PST - 3 comments

I have a week vacation for Thanksgiving. Usually I take off for a road-trip, but last year - British Columbia - I found for the first time the thrill of the open road being overtaken by a sense of loneliness and (somewhat) isolation. I'm single and have travelled a lot on my own, but now I kinda don't wanna, but I would like to have an experience with my week off. And it's been a pretty tough year (right?) and I could use a break. How do single people navigate this? [more inside]posted by forallmankind at 6:35 PM PST - 10 comments

I need recommendations for a relatively lightweight cruiser-type bicycle. I have an Electra Townie, and I like everything about it except the weight (about 35 lbs.) Is there a lighter alternative out there? I'm ideally looking for something that has raised handlebars, a comfortable saddle and easy-to-change gears (good for a bike novice.) I'm not looking for a single-speed. posted by zembla3 at 3:45 PM PST - 15 comments

How do I add an additional audio track to a .avi movie file in OSX? I downloaded a full length movie, it had stereo channel audio, but one of the audio tracks was still missing, possibly the center channel that was lost from a surround sound mix when it was bounced to standard 2 channel audio. I now have the missing audio file and need to add it to the other two. [more inside]posted by Charlie Lesoine at 3:23 PM PST - 5 comments

I just bought a airport express to listen to my tunes on my stereo in the living room.
Since the AP-Express will only play music through itunes
anyone point me in a direction to do the following:
I would like to create a station in lastfm and have it stream through itunes.
Anyone aware of a freeware solution.
Imac 10.5.8 posted by citybuddha at 2:33 PM PST - 5 comments

California DMV Filter -- "Smog Check Needed" is NOT printed on my registration renewel form, although it should be. Should I get an emission check anyway? [more inside]posted by Rash at 2:30 PM PST - 17 comments

Can anyone recommend a good, general overview source on the June 09 election, protests, and aftermath in Iran? I need something to link to as a backgrounder. [more inside]posted by leticia at 2:14 PM PST - 1 comment

I am buying a plane ticket with my credit card and someone else has access to my credit card statements. How much information about my flight will that person be able to get? [more inside]posted by thewestinggame at 1:52 PM PST - 21 comments

At the end of World War II, would a Polish-ethnicity girl/young woman and her family from Lwów/Lviv have been given the option of moving west of the Curzon line to post-war Poland, or would they have been forcibly resettled? [more inside]posted by mdonley at 1:21 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm planning a haggis-centric party and will make semi-traditional haggis from this recipe. I also need to make a vegetarian version, so what would be a tasty veggie substitute for the meat (preferably using the same recipe)? The meats to replace are "chopped cooked liver and chopped cooked heart (Or stew beef, or filet mignon)" and ground lamb. I'm in California, in case that makes a difference about ingredient availability. Full recipe below, in case Geocities has closed. [more inside]posted by anadem at 11:18 AM PST - 9 comments

This is a two-part question. First, what are the ideal shoes for long-distance walking on paved or gravel roads? Second, what rights do I have as a suburban/urban pedestrian in California in terms of not being hassled by "authorities"? [more inside]posted by quarantine at 10:48 AM PST - 19 comments

My boyfriend is depressed, again, and I'm starting to get concerned that I don't have the patience to get through it with him this time. I want to help him, but I'm not sure how many times I can keep doing this. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:44 AM PST - 26 comments

Where can I get affordable online access to many academic journals?
Generally only large university libraries have paid the expensive subscriptions for electronic access to academic journals. Sometimes these libraries let users access the journals online. But I am not affiliated with any university. Are there any libraries I can join by paying a fee, that would give me online access to many online journals? I need journals in biological and physical sciences. posted by algal at 9:16 AM PST - 22 comments

Quick! Geocities closes shop tomorrow! Is there an efficient way to search my favorites/bookmarks for geocities pages that might be in there? So I can steal the content before it goes bye bye? [more inside]posted by rahnefan at 8:42 AM PST - 10 comments

Worried about my emotional well-being, and my future. Need some good Metafilter advice....
I am a 34 y/o female who is gainfully employed and generally self-sufficient (own my own home, car, take care of the house, etc.) but I am extremely lonely and feel more and more isolated everyday. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:12 AM PST - 31 comments

I just received a job offer, for a senior architect position in a very known contracting firm in Cairo. FYI, I have 8 years of experience as an architect and an M.Arch degree.
However, I was shocked to see the figures associated, they are so low, and there are a lot of other concerns about rent fees and work hours, etc.. I will list some of the things below, please advise, if you have worked in Egypt, or familiar with the work law there. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:11 AM PST - 11 comments

My son has the swine flu. Now what? Should I give him Tamiflu? He is 5 years old, and I also have a 3 year old and a 1 year old, should they also get Tamiflu? Should my wife and I also take it? [more inside]posted by tedunni at 7:42 AM PST - 27 comments

It's a lovely Fall day. Where's a good place to take some young 'uns train watching in Philadelphia? The priority is on lots of trains, up close. I don't mind paying to get on a platform. Proximity to West Philly a bonus. Thank you! posted by carter at 7:28 AM PST - 6 comments

A quickie - what's the name of the game where a bunch of people sit in a circle and the first person whispers a secret into the ear of the person on one side, they whisper it to the next, and it goes around the circle, only to end up being an entirely different secret? [more inside]posted by zinfandel at 9:28 PM PST - 36 comments

Terrible cough, too late to leave the house in search of remedies -- can I take this expired (expired April 2009) prescription Tussionex cough syrup or is there a better solution in my house? [more inside]posted by tastybrains at 9:25 PM PST - 14 comments

I (male) have been married for a number of years (~10). Nothing is necessarily bad about our marriage, but I've felt that we've been lacking passion since before we were married. It just never seemed to matter enough to be worth a divorce.. except that it does matter in the end. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:24 PM PST - 34 comments

I often have to text a lot of people (as in, 50) simultaneously. The iPhone I'm going to get (don't even try to dissuade me ;-) will make this a very sad experience for me. What can I do? [more inside]posted by dondiego87 at 8:44 PM PST - 18 comments

Looking for step by step instructions on how to clear a hard drive and then copy one drive (that boots Windows 7) to that drive I just cleared, then clear the old boot drive. [more inside]posted by The Devil Tesla at 7:41 PM PST - 5 comments

OK, something that been bugging me for a long time: Can someone identify a foreign film/tv show from the 80's given some memories of production details? [more inside]posted by pjern at 4:31 PM PST - 5 comments

Need a full new suite of kitchen appliances, would like some recommendations.
Got some prices on some Electrolux models today that looked great, but some quick research on the web doesn't leave me so confident.
Is this a case of the squeaky wheel complaining online and they're actually a solid product? Or should I be worried.
I'm looking for all stainless steel appliances: fridge with ice-maker, slide-in stove, dishwasher, and range-hood microwave. Specifically I'm looking for a large fridge and electric stove
I'm in Canada if that makes a difference. posted by gfroese at 4:19 PM PST - 12 comments

I need to get a car, but I don't do much driving... so I don't want to spend a lot. That means I'm looking at the new Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 class of cars (all 2010).
Of the group, the Mazda 3 is my favorite by far.
Thing is, I don't really know much about cars + I'm a 26 year old guy = is the Mazda 3 a chicks car? [more inside]posted by creative at 3:54 PM PST - 70 comments

Have you ever felt that you are lost and not sure about your life, purposes, what you want for yourself and how you want to live your life? [more inside]posted by stillhopeful at 3:36 PM PST - 23 comments

I bought a used iMac G5 and I'm getting ready to send it to my mom as a gift. She hasn't used a mac since like 1995.What is a good program to install on here so that I can help her remotely? I'm on a PC. Free would be the best. I don't have a lot of money for this project. [more inside]posted by amethysts at 3:29 PM PST - 14 comments

Does any one know of a free or inexpensive software that will use the computers sound card to generate LTC timecode. I would like to be able to use a PC as a master clock to feed time of day time code to various decks. [more inside]posted by jmsta at 2:32 PM PST - 3 comments

How do I stream music from an iPod Touch to a conventional Hi-Fi wirelessly? Bluetooth A2DP would seem to be perfect - but I need a gadget wired in to the hi-fi that will receive the signal and play it. What gadget (from the UK)? [more inside]posted by grahamwell at 12:50 PM PST - 11 comments

How do free alt-weeklies and zines get access to their distribution points? Is it as simple as asking or do they pay rent/barter some ad space in return for a place to put their magazine? posted by the christopher hundreds at 11:08 AM PST - 6 comments

My wife and I are looking to buy a new (queen size) bed, and trying to decide between two beds from two different stores. Both are actually quite similar in terms of look/style and price. [more inside]posted by avoision at 11:07 AM PST - 10 comments

Parking my car at the Renaissance Hotel on Mt. Vernon Square during a conference in Washington DC in November will cost $25 a day. Is there something else I should do with my car for the 4 days I will be in town? posted by billtron at 9:47 AM PST - 9 comments

I am thinking of hackintoshing a netbook and would like some guidance from those with some experience in this area. I have several questions: [more inside]posted by Bango Skank at 8:23 AM PST - 18 comments

What was the name of the British stop-motion/claymation series that was on Comedy Central about ten years ago, featuring vulgar, working-class type characters? posted by moorooka at 6:23 AM PST - 15 comments

Phonefilter: Help me choose a new smartphone with QWERTY keyboard. Primarily for email, some browsing, calendars. Constraints: in the UK, contract may be a problem, need to use overseas a lot, I rarely use the phone part, don't want an iPhone. [more inside]posted by wingless_angel at 5:24 AM PST - 10 comments

How can I get cheap, comfortable, semi-realistic giant fake breasts for Halloween? Yes, I'm going as Dolly Parton. I'm also a girl with some already not-insignificant boobs going on. (And yeah, we may well be overthinking this giant plate of beans.) [more inside]posted by web-goddess at 3:35 AM PST - 15 comments

What is a place called when it is a one or two person self-contained 'retreat' set up for writers/artists to get away from it all to write their masterpiece/compile their exhibition pieces etc? [more inside]posted by Kerasia at 2:16 AM PST - 10 comments

My good friend just purchased a $3k Apple laptop, which she received today. I spent four hours this afternoon installing software and setting it up for her. Once we were all done, and ready to go out and celebrate good times, new laptops, and Friday nights, we high fived, and I shut the laptop gently...with the tiny, clear, flexible, plastic charger cap unknowingly inside. Now the screen is completely cracked, fractalled, damaged, and very sadly colorful. What can I do? [more inside]posted by iamkimiam at 2:14 AM PST - 29 comments

Back about a decade ago, I happened to be watching in early evening as the moon went from thin sliver to complete disappearance. It was one of those unexpected and somewhat wondrous moments of my life (due to many circumstances of the time, and the unplanned coolness of it). I'd like to see it again. Is there some schedule for me to tell when this is going to happen again visible from my area? [more inside]posted by Kickstart70 at 10:27 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm working on reproducing an old childhood amusement with less messy waste or just dealing with ignoring the debris .... eggs to throw at each other. [more inside]posted by tilde at 8:41 PM PST - 13 comments

Calling all planners, public admin. types, adult education gurus and other smarty pants: I need to develop a training program or at least a strategy for developing a training program for further planning on the local level, put the hard parts. [more inside]posted by stormygrey at 7:34 PM PST - 10 comments

I don't know why photographers' websites are all so terrible, but I am having difficulty looking for a good photographer in New York City who will display a general idea of rates. I want to get some family portraits done (6 adults, one baby), and I want something better than Sears, but something less than $1,000. [more inside]posted by eggplantia5 at 6:39 PM PST - 13 comments

What happened to my Shampoo? I mixed two different Shampoo brands about 70/30 and liked the resultant mixture. The next time I mixed them 50/50 and overnight the mixture lost all it's "thickness" (viscosity, I guess) and still works fine, but is as thin as milk if not thinner. [more inside]posted by Rafaelloello at 6:30 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm trying to figure out the name of a restaurant (burger joint) that is probably within 100 miles of some edge of Yellowstone National Park. What I remember: it served buffalo burgers, and had an alliterative name with a woman's name and some sort of negative adjective. That adjective may have been "horrible," i'm more certain that it started with the letter "h." I seem to remember some piece of lore about the owner or maybe the owner's son being a chainsmoker. Google fails me. Help! posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 5:55 PM PST - 7 comments

In heterosexual relationships, is there a side of the bed that men normally sleep on? Is there any kind of tradition behind it? Like, if you're standing at the foot of the bed looking at the pillows, are men supposed to sleep on the left or right side? My dad always slept on the left side. And myself, with my last girlfriend, I also slept on the left side. Am I unconsciously re-enacting some kind of old tradition as to what side I'm supposed to sleep on? [more inside]posted by Sully at 4:27 PM PST - 127 comments

I'll be regularly flying in to ski near N. Lake Tahoe this winter. Which airport should I fly into and which rental agency should I use to be most assured of getting an AWD vehicle? [more inside]posted by brain at 3:27 PM PST - 4 comments

Any have experience dealing with online wholesale importers as an end consumer (i.e., not a retailer, just a guy who wants some buckles) ? [more inside]posted by Squid Voltaire at 3:18 PM PST - 1 comment

Where can I find more goofy, archaic terms?
I'm writing a comic book where one of the characters is an upper-class fellow from the 1800s, and I want to put some outdated slang in his mouth, along the lines of the phrases Mr. Burns sometimes spouts on the Simpsons: flimshaw, goldbrickers, slug-a-beds, aeromail, autogyro, petroleum distillate... [more inside]posted by gern at 2:53 PM PST - 17 comments

Cognitive Biases - better list than Wikipedia? I have encountered a few more than mentioned at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Are there many more or these biases? Please point me in the right direction.
THX
BB posted by bright77blue at 2:52 PM PST - 13 comments

In a talk (at TED) by Brian Greene on string theory he says that there are "there appear to be about 20 numbers that really describe our universe..." He lists a few in his talk, but what are the rest of of those numbers? [more inside]posted by bigmusic at 2:13 PM PST - 8 comments

My wife and I are moving from NYC to Denver in the middle of January. We'll likely be shipping some stuff and then driving. I've never moved during the winter, so I'm looking for advice from people who have moved through snow or know of any issues getting to Denver around January. Best routes? [more inside]posted by scrutiny at 2:10 PM PST - 6 comments

I had plans to ride my bike from Chicago to Milwaukee tomorrow with my husband and two friends (about 100 miles). Now I've come down with a pretty bad cold. Should I cancel or try to power through? Have you ever done a lot of physical activity while recovering from a cold, and how did you fare? [more inside]posted by misskaz at 1:45 PM PST - 20 comments

Is there a Medieval Linguist in the house? I need a very short conversation between Cistercian nuns in Saxony translated into Medieval Latin. Any help so I don't sound like a complete idiot warmly welcomed. [more inside]posted by The Whelk at 1:23 PM PST - 7 comments

Need software which enables saving my Windows XP file directory tree and shows subfolders as a .gif, .jpg or .bmp. Google found some software which saves it as a text file, but I want the visuals of the actual folders in the tree structure. posted by dorgla at 1:13 PM PST - 1 comment

What can be done about someone having a MAJOR depressive episode? A loved one has been having a HORRIBLE time spending days on my couch with her head covered. The doctor doubled her medicine last week but wondering what can be done for until that possibly kicks in? [more inside]posted by beccaj at 1:06 PM PST - 28 comments

What's the best way to keep a viewers attention for a long manifesto from a design perspective? What elements/techniques within the document could be used? [more inside]posted by brokekid at 12:41 PM PST - 7 comments

I have a substantial amount of anime that I'd like to watch, but a less-than-perfect system for doing it. Pretty much all of it is in .mkv files (h.264 video and AAC audio) with subtitles, and I'd like to transcode them to a format that's playable on either my iPhone or my PS3 with subtitles intact. I've tried both handbrake and VLC, and I either get 1) no subtitles in handbrake or 2) encoder errors in VLC. So, hive mind, what am I doing wrong here? posted by Oktober at 12:29 PM PST - 8 comments

I've been asked to write a series of scripts for online videos and I have no idea what to charge. Do you know the going rate for this type of service? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 12:03 PM PST - 4 comments

After getting laid off recently, I decided to enroll in a BFA program for graphic design, even though I am a grown up with a BA from a liberal arts university. Should I actually earn the degree or just use the classes to build a portfolio? [more inside]posted by AtomicBee at 11:11 AM PST - 7 comments

I have my VB.NET app (which includes a Class Library and several Forms) set to startup from the Windows Forms Application. Why am I getting the error message: "A project with an Output Type of Class Library cannot be started directly?" I'm trying to tell it not to start from the Class Library! Please help. [more inside]posted by kitcat at 11:03 AM PST - 6 comments

Is there a name for this late 60s through early 70s aesthetic that was very common in (sort for for) children books and films? And if so, any recommendations beyond what is listed... [more inside]posted by palindromic at 10:50 AM PST - 11 comments

Next Thursday, I'm going to be forced to throw a Halloween party for about 15-20 second graders. Most, but not all, will be boys. We have a small house, and I have no freaking idea of what to do besides pump them full of sugar and hope that they don't break anything. I'd like to have some alternate plans. [more inside]posted by bibliowench at 10:24 AM PST - 19 comments

I want to be Artie the Strongest Man in the World from the Adventures of Pete and Pete 90s Nickelodeon show....BUT I can't find a shirt that is anything close HELP! [more inside]posted by PetiePal at 10:09 AM PST - 13 comments

I've just started volunteering at a local hospital on the cancer ward. We've had some training and I do have some personal experience (family member) with cancer treatment, but I want to be as helpful as I can -- If you have spent time on a cancer ward, as a patient, family member or friend -- or as hospital staff, how can I, as a friendly stranger, be most helpful to someone like you? [more inside]posted by nnk at 10:05 AM PST - 14 comments

Has anyone gone through a period in their life where they've just become too overanalytical and serious?
I started therapy a little over a year and a half ago and it has been great. I've gained a lot of additional understanding of myself which has been helpful but at the same time I think it's actually detrimental in other ways. [more inside]posted by Garden at 9:48 AM PST - 12 comments

SoftDrinkFilter: Recently, Barr's have re-introduced the old style branding on their cans of Irn Bru (like so). But something has been bothering me since forever: what is the guy in the middle supposed to be? [more inside]posted by littleredspiders at 8:49 AM PST - 9 comments

My younger brother was forced to check his laptop on an American Airlines flight out of Dallas/Fort Worth. You can probably see what's coming, but... [more inside]posted by bokane at 7:28 AM PST - 18 comments

I found an article where researchers experimented with online self-managed coginitive-behavioral therapy (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/566048).
Does such a system exist online? posted by Josh Coe at 5:18 AM PST - 4 comments

I have just started as a school science technician at an inner city school. Over the holiday I would like to spruce up the 5 science classrooms with displays covering the various disciplines. Does anyone know of any online resources, posters to download/print etc? [more inside]posted by Saddo at 4:25 AM PST - 8 comments

I have a new job where I'm going to get yelled at a lot. What are your tips for becoming comfortable with getting yelled at a lot, or your tips for defusing such a situation? [more inside]posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:49 AM PST - 33 comments

yeahIknowHalloween-filter: You have a hot pink party dress. You have a ridiculously poufy crinoline petticoat. You undoubtedly have a better imagination than I. So what would you be for Halloween? [more inside]posted by Juicy Avenger at 10:33 PM PST - 17 comments

Are there good examples of Twitter (or status updates on Facebook) being used to answer questions AskMe-style? Or even better, to collaboratively solve a problem, like when the Scooby Gang here sussed out Kaycee Nicole? [more inside]posted by anildash at 10:13 PM PST - 19 comments

As a follow-up to this question I asked last week...
What *practical* things have you done as a loved one of friends or family that were struggling financially or were stuck in a cycle of poverty. Have you loaned money? Paid bills? Helped them write a budget? Let them move in? Bought them groceries? Filled up their gas tank? There must be other things I'm not thinking about.
What advice would you give to a parent whose adult child was floundering? posted by jeffreyclong at 9:43 PM PST - 15 comments

How to deal with unemployment + feeling like crap? Just got let go last week from crap job I hated, but now feeling more miserable than ever. [more inside]posted by greatalleycat at 9:42 PM PST - 11 comments

Angsty-crush filter: Should I do something like make a move on this guy? If not, how can I get this out of my mind and get back to my own life? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:30 PM PST - 25 comments

Our office is losing hours of productivity a week due to networking decisions from head office. We'd like to price out a server to replace the dodgy technology that's been foisted on us. Not surprisingly, HQ gets kind of defensive if we use that language. Please help me cost out a server, and make it seem like it was their idea all along. [more inside]posted by scruss at 8:32 PM PST - 8 comments

Does anyone know of anywhere in Bethesda or the DC Metro area in general where one could get Chinese food ingredients? I'm specifically looking for wonton wrappers. [more inside]posted by inara at 8:13 PM PST - 13 comments

Yet another story identification: I read a fiction book not aimed at adults sometime pre-2000 about a kid who, for some unremembered reason, needs to travel around the country to eat a (fried chicken?) meal at a lot of a certain fast food franchise to win a contest. [more inside]posted by adamwolf at 7:31 PM PST - 2 comments

Career Filter: My goal is to spend a few years (maybe more) living at sea as professional crew on a ship/yacht/tall ship. How do I get there quickly but responsibly? What training? What is the job market like? What jobs to look for? Help!? [more inside]posted by DetonatedManiac at 7:09 PM PST - 9 comments

What did the Nazis call the French Resistance? I know they called the individual resisters "terrorists," but what word did they use to describe the resistance as a whole? (Insurgency, resistance, uprising, rebellion, etc.) This is research for a screenplay - I'm not looking for a discussion about modern parallels, or of what the morally correct word is in various situations. Also, if someone could give me the word in German that would be great! Please no guessing. posted by bagadonuts at 6:47 PM PST - 9 comments

FridgeFilter: I recently overstuffed my freezer and blocked the cold airflow, which partially defrosted some of the food in the far corner, away from the air. I have since restored the freezer temperature, but after several days, the thawed food isn't re-freezing. Why? [more inside]posted by werty at 6:39 PM PST - 3 comments

I mailed $20 cash to a British merchant to pay for an item ordered via email. The merchant refused to accept cash insisting payment only via Paypal. I refuse to use Paypal because of two previous bad experiences. The British merchant said they would return my cash but hasn't and no longer replies to my emails. What recourse do I have to get my money back and or file a complaint against the merchant? I'm in the USA. posted by NorthCoastCafe at 6:14 PM PST - 30 comments

You're a late 30's, attractive female who is separated and looking to explore your horizons. How would you like to be approached by a younger couple? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:08 PM PST - 17 comments

I am looking for a certain type of non-fiction book. These books are very often instructional with the words handwritten (or typed with a font that imitates handwriting) and the illustrations hand-drawn giving the book the appearance of a photocopied notebook. [more inside]posted by wannalol at 5:44 PM PST - 14 comments

We are moving house on the 24th of November, and going overseas for a week from the 7th of December. Should the cat stay in the new house (with a twice-daily visit from a pet sitter), or should he go to a cattery for the week we're away? [more inside]posted by impluvium at 5:32 PM PST - 6 comments

I am looking for a leadership tool I used to use back in the late nineties, but can't find anymore. It was a flowchart intended to help a person determine which decisionmaking style to use in a particular set of circumstances. Essentially it takes the D1-D5 framework (where D1 is highly directive and D5 is highly collaborative), and sets up a flowchart process that helps the person determine which to use. So for example it would ask “Will other people be affected by the decision” (yes argues for collaboration) and “Will other people's acceptance of the decision be required for implementation” (yes argues for collaboration). [more inside]posted by Susan PG at 5:01 PM PST - 1 comment

How can I get 91 octane gas in an area that seems to sell only 87/89/93? What sort of damage might I have caused to a new vehicle by filling it with 87 for a little while? [more inside]posted by ish__ at 5:00 PM PST - 21 comments

What can be done to make the manual transmission shifter easier to work again? We have a 2000 Ford Escort which seems to be working fine, with the exception of a few blips. One 'blip' is the amount of force currently required to shift the manual transmission between gears. [more inside]posted by Tandem Affinity at 4:28 PM PST - 8 comments

Serious movies with a female spy or secret agent as the main character, preferably about her working solo to solve a case/perform a mission --that somehow involves her own past? [more inside]posted by np312 at 4:20 PM PST - 25 comments

I want to compare the area of some countries against the area of their people (assuming 1 person takes up 2 square feet). Help me work out the math! [more inside]posted by ejfox at 3:45 PM PST - 10 comments

With NaNoWriMo looming ever nearer, I would like to hear your best tips, tricks, habits, and techniques for staying chained to the keyboard. [more inside]posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:09 PM PST - 26 comments

Is there an online or free software solution for this idea my colleague at school has had?
We want to survey kids in our school about their interests and ambitions and use their responses to suggest which courses they should elect for their next year. [more inside]posted by man down under at 2:44 PM PST - 6 comments

I'd like to find out what the climate is like in Georgia -- the country, not the state -- for an American business looking to expand overseas. But when I Google for it, I keep getting results for the state! [more inside]posted by wandering steve at 2:23 PM PST - 21 comments

I'm trying to track down a documentary I saw online years ago. Details are sketchy, but I remember either 8x8 or 16x16 pixel art animation - enlarged. I think they talked about Edison electrocuting an elephant, and many design and art related topics. Two people were narrating and I believe they worked for some kind of design firm. What is the name of, and for bonus points where can I find a copy of that film online? posted by jeffmilner at 2:10 PM PST - 9 comments

Halloweencostumefilter: I've been racking my brain to come up with a good Halloween costume to wear to work, but I can't seem to come up with anything. Limitations: (pants, physical job, not overly sexy) [more inside]posted by mollymayhem at 1:54 PM PST - 22 comments

I am doing a kitchen remodel and need to pick out cabinet hardware. I have looked at pulls from Ikea that cost $10/pair and look identical to ones from higher-end manufacturers that sell for $20-$40 each. That is a huge difference in price. I am wondering, could anyone tell me if it is worth the difference? What is the reason for the huge price difference? Do the ones from Ikea look terrble after a few years? I am spending a lot of money on this kitchen remodel and don't want to skimp on this if it makes a difference -- but I also don't want to throw away hundreds of dollars on hardware if the pulls from Ikea will be just as good. posted by modernist1 at 1:52 PM PST - 8 comments

I got a Trek 2.1 WSD this past summer. I love love love it and I want to keep riding during the wet wintery months in Seattle. I need help finding fenders that are compatible with a carbon fork, stays and seatpost. I am a bicycle novice so any advice is appreciated. posted by little miss s at 1:48 PM PST - 8 comments

what is a ground wire? Plain English please.
I have a microwave that needs an extension. So I got the 3-pronged male/female units. But my wire is only 2.
What wire should I get, and why?
What difference does it make?
What is a ground, and why do some things require it?
Where should a ground go? posted by ebesan at 1:22 PM PST - 27 comments

So, I am sadly tasked with debugging sites on IE every once in a while. Is there anything that even approaches the awesomeness of FireBug/Web Inspector for this task? [more inside]posted by tmcw at 12:50 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm looking to move out of California with my wife, with the goal of buying a home for the future filthy light thief family. Mrs. flt's parents have been looking at Albuquerque, New Mexico based on statistics (housing prices, employment, etc) and their brief visit to the city. How is Albuquerque for young families and adults in search of a lively city? More details inside. [more inside]posted by filthy light thief at 12:45 PM PST - 16 comments

Need to transfer modest amounts of money from UK to a US bank account every 2-3 months. What would be the most cost-effective way to do so? [more inside]posted by moiraine at 12:30 PM PST - 10 comments

What are the legal/tax issues involved in an US-based company hiring European individuals to do contract work at home (things like translating documents; the person hired would never need to leave their home country). From the standpoint of the US-based business, it is simply a matter of sending a 1099 like any other contract work? Is there anything else to consider? posted by helios at 12:08 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm starting to be able to identify what social dances fit different songs, but I don't know how to describe the features of the songs that make them appropriate for different dances. Can you help me name the features of songs that make them work well for the different social dances? [more inside]posted by philosophygeek at 11:56 AM PST - 14 comments

Berlin-Leipzig-Amsterdam filter. Visiting all three for a conference on a record shopping (minimal, electro, german techno) and cool neighborhood finding adventure. Any ideas? [more inside]posted by Smegoid at 10:25 AM PST - 2 comments

Which job should I pick? I'm in the happy position of being able to choose between two jobs. I'll get two offers by the end of the week, and I need help deciding. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:49 AM PST - 28 comments

I need some joint (and punnish) costume ideas that are relevant and funny. Two people 30ish. Things like "bangers and M*A*S*H", so fresh and so clean....
Idea + implementation is ideal.
Thanks in advance! [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:49 AM PST - 12 comments

InterviewPrepFilter: I need to brush up on my numerical reasoning. I'm looking for ways to master things like word/story problems (probability, work-rate, distance), and some math review. I have good logic skills, but basic math can be confusing for me, esp. under pressure. Tutoring is not really an option and anything that is cram-friendly is also good. Any books, resources, tips, general guidance from math-y people ? posted by sidd.darko at 8:46 AM PST - 4 comments

Switching from PC to a Mac. For those who have done it: What do you wish you had known then that you know now? I know this type question has been asked before, but it looks like it's been a while. So, give me your advice warnings, horror stories, revelations, etc. posted by te1contar at 8:30 AM PST - 41 comments

My co-worker is hosting a Halloween-birthday party for her tween daughter and friends. Her daughter has decided she'd like to tell fortunes at her party and we're trying to come up with some cool, funny tween-friendly fortunes. Any ideas would be welcome. posted by moonlitpines at 8:11 AM PST - 12 comments

New York City/Logan's Run filter: Where in NYC can I obtain some cheapo blinking red jewels that resemble the "life clocks" from the movie Logan's Run (which hopefully can be affixed to the palm with some sort of adhesive)? Close-up pic here. Willing to cannibalize some other sort of trinket if it contains such a jewel. Thanks! posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 8:01 AM PST - 6 comments

Brooklynfilter: Does anyone have any experience with the Holiday Inns that have cropped up in Park Slope (Union St. and Butler St.) over the past few years? [more inside]posted by thinkingwoman at 7:37 AM PST - 11 comments

The trial-and-error method of ADHD drugs: I am already afraid of screwing up my job and I am concerned about all these side effects I read about people having. I can't spend 3 months spaced out or whatever until I find the right drug cause then I'll REALLY screw up at work. Can you help allay my fears or tell me how you and your psychiatrist and/or therapist worked this out? [more inside]posted by sio42 at 7:19 AM PST - 26 comments

I am in graduate school after taking a few years off, and in those few years it seems I have lost the ability to pay attention to anything. Please help me focus. [more inside]posted by millipede at 7:18 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm on what might be called a revolving sleep schedule, where I go to sleep and wake up about one hour later every day. This means every other week or so I sleep during the daytime. This seems to be my body's natural sleep rhythm. Right now I'm going to sleep at 7-8 AM and waking up at 3-4 PM. But on Sunday morning I need to GET UP at 7 AM, and be fully awake and refreshed for the entire day. In short, I need to completely reverse my sleep schedule in under three days. I've never been able to this, so I need fresh advice on how I might accomplish it. [more inside]posted by fucker at 5:15 AM PST - 11 comments

How can I create an Excel worksheet which uses something like VLOOKUP (or anything which works in a similarish way) not to pull values, but formulas? [more inside]posted by Bugbread at 4:21 AM PST - 7 comments

I have fibromyalgia. Help me figure out how to be a better student/employee. What accommodations/techniques work for you? I have doctors, so more looking for 'this worked for me/my mom/my friend' than anything medical. [more inside]posted by eleanna at 9:26 PM PST - 8 comments

What are the most well-written (i.e., enjoyable to read) textbooks and/or books written for an academic audience? I'm not looking for the "best" textbook on any given subject, but textbooks on any topic that are compelling to read because of the wit and lucidity of the writing style. [more inside]posted by crLLC at 9:19 PM PST - 32 comments

I recently adopted a 1 year old female cat, and within days her personality has changed drastically (some of which was expected, but not to this degree). What follows is an ethical dilemma. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 9:16 PM PST - 14 comments

My sweetie gave me a Flip (UltraHD) for my birthday. I've never had a video recorder before... besides the obvious recording of fambly events and such, what sorts of cool, interesting, and potentially artsy things can I do with it? [more inside]posted by deCadmus at 9:07 PM PST - 10 comments

I think I really, really want to get into developing real estate. Can anyone give me an overview description of what the work / process is is like? [more inside]posted by drea at 8:38 PM PST - 6 comments

When it comes to editing and producing video, is it the CPU or the GPU the makes all the difference? I've read many different things and I work with video all the time and it seems that CPU power is what makes the difference when doing final processing and transcoding. Only GPU stuff is the GUI during editing. Rest after... [more inside]posted by tropikal at 7:31 PM PST - 12 comments

I'd like to start resuming a friendship, but the other person is mistaken about why I backed off. Should I tell him why? It's...complicated. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 7:25 PM PST - 7 comments

Can you suggest books that push the envelope of "self-help"? I record books for a library-owned radio station for the blind and visually impaired. One of our genres is Self-Help. We have no shortage of the usual sort of self-help book - I've been asked to come up with something a little wider-ranging or quirky. [more inside]posted by tomboko at 7:23 PM PST - 16 comments

I am 37, female, married and have a BA in Psychology and an MA in English/Creative Writing. Was a public school librarian for years and burned out. I need a career and don't know where to go from here. I've spent too long hating going to work, and I want a job I'll love going to every day. [more inside]posted by miltoncat at 5:43 PM PST - 13 comments

How do software authors determine the version numbers of the releases? I am writing software for a specific electronic device. I am not using version control on it yet. (Yeah, shame! Truth is, I am intimidated.) [more inside]posted by Drasher at 5:04 PM PST - 22 comments

I live in Vancouver, Canada and I am going to the U.S. for the day this weekend. I want to know if it's in fact true, that you can bring groceries back into Canada without paying duty or customs fees? [more inside]posted by ninefour at 4:58 PM PST - 7 comments

In this 1995 interview, Neil Young mentions that he played the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, Sweet Home Alabama, live a couple of times. When and where did Neil Young perform Sweet Home Alabama live? [more inside]posted by mumblelard at 4:14 PM PST - 7 comments

I have discovered that someone I don't like very much made a mistake: he sent a large quantity of individually personalized mail at bulk mail rates via USPS. I believe this is a no-no, but ultimately I would guess it is a pretty minor no-no. What are the consequences of this? Are there civil or criminal penalties when this is discovered? posted by Mr. Justice at 3:02 PM PST - 15 comments

Have you been in a long-distance or otherwise limited romantic relationship that actually worked? Does this solution to my need for space make sense? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 3:02 PM PST - 29 comments

I've started hormonal birth control (Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo) for the first time, and am currently on my third day. I've heard/read of the accompanying depression and mood swings. When can I expect side effects, so that I can assess myself and decide whether or not to continue with the pill? What sort of red flags should I look out for, in case I don't realize I'm being depressive, mood-swingy, or sans sex drive? [more inside]posted by Xere at 2:16 PM PST - 21 comments

I have to make coffee for 25 people tomorrow morning here at my brand new job, using their big industrial coffee machine. I don't drink coffee. All we have at home is a French Press. HELP! [more inside]posted by anastasiav at 2:06 PM PST - 22 comments

Freelance magazine layout costing in the UK:
A publication company is looking to outsource the layout for a journal, 64 pages, full colour, using existing layout, not from new. It is possible but not probable that I will have existing layouts to work from electronically. I has been told this publication is produced monthly, takes the existing designer a week and a half, and am being offered a flat fee for doing the job for each issue. How much would one expect to be paid for that sort of job, if of average/medium weight experience? posted by spyke23 at 2:05 PM PST - 3 comments

Organizing a Training Workshop: How do I easily/quickly assign Workshop attendees to their First Choice/Second Choice from a group of 5 topics? There's gotta be a better way than popsicle sticks! [more inside]posted by Mrs_Eep at 2:04 PM PST - 2 comments

We're visiting Mickey Mouse down in Orland December 15-21. We've been spending weeks now working out our reservations and special events tickets, but we still have some extra time left over. Any mouse-ear-types that can give us a tip on something really special to do that might not be mentioned on an official website? [more inside]posted by thanotopsis at 1:40 PM PST - 19 comments

I recently (the 12th) was laid off, is it worthwhile calling credit card companies to suspend payments or work out a lower interest rates until I'm employed again? I have a large amount of debt from an ill-fated freelance photography "gig" and general overspending. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 1:28 PM PST - 6 comments

My boss may be offering me an ACTC certification. I don't know whether computers are a hobby or a career for me, and I have limited free time. Should I talk to him seriously about sponsoring (paying the fees) me for the exam? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 1:28 PM PST - 1 comment

Looking for rap songs with repeating sped up vocal samples from almost an entire verse or multiple verses of a song. That don't involve Kanye West. [more inside]posted by cashman at 1:21 PM PST - 18 comments

Why is it that when I transfer files from an external hard drive to my laptop's hard drive via USB 2.0, the speeds are so much faster than transferring files from one external hard drive to another (5 mins vs. a few hours for 1.5 GB)? I think it might have to do with the fact that the external drives use different file systems (NTFS vs. FAT32). Is there any software that could speed things up? posted by matkline at 1:11 PM PST - 11 comments

BookFilter: I'm looking for a novel that I read several times in the early '90s; despite having read and enjoyed it several times, I've forgotten the title and author! [more inside]posted by Skoloxia at 12:28 PM PST - 9 comments

Is there such a thing as an online vendor from whom I can purchase print-on-demand gift certificates as a wedding gift that I can put in today's mail? [more inside]posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 12:27 PM PST - 8 comments

I am looking for an email management program (like campaign monitor) that also includes email analytics (like google analytics) and project management tools (like basecamp). I am in a small marketing department at a non-profit that relies heavily on email (100K+/month messages sent).
My google-fu has failed me so far, I can't find anything that has all three components. Does anyone know of a one stop shop that does this? Also open to a using several programs as long as we can get them to work with each other. posted by Incy at 12:26 PM PST - 6 comments

What is the cheapest way to cover my apartment walls in black?
I have a huge apartment, with a lot of surface space which I want to make black for an upcoming 'ween party. The material has to be purchased in New York. posted by pakoothefakoo at 12:05 PM PST - 17 comments

I need a hard case for my Motorola S9-HD Wrap Around Headphones. They came with a cloth pouch, but I need something solid to protect the headphones from being crushed while in my bag. [more inside]posted by intrigued at 11:51 AM PST - 4 comments

How can I find out what sort of New Year's Eve events and festivities were held on December 31, 1899? I'm specifically interested in London, but other places would help too. [more inside]posted by gottabefunky at 11:33 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm trying to remember the name of a book I read as a kid in the early '80s. I believe it was published in the mid-to-late '70s. It was about some children watching telephone wires and thinking they could actually see the conversations as they were transmitted from home to home. It culminated with the kids trying to race their own conversation between two homes. I think it's called something like "The Spaghetti Telephone Race" but google offers zero in the way of help with that. Does anyone know what book I'm talking about? posted by mprove at 11:29 AM PST - 1 comment

Is there such a thing as a no-ad internet domain? I love the days of personalized websites with no ads but I'm having a hard time digging them up these days. Any suggestions??? posted by scewinleg at 11:20 AM PST - 10 comments

My teenaged son want to dress up as Jesus. He has the hair, but he wants a robe like Jesus wore. However, he doesn't want a crappy polyester costume-shop robe. Also both of us refuse to sew anything.
So -- what would be a good Jesus-robe (or just any plausible Jesuswear. This would be daywear, not Jesus eveningwear) that we could buy, in a nice natural fabric? and we're in New York City so if you have specific suggestions for stores that would be even better. posted by DMelanogaster at 10:47 AM PST - 20 comments

I'm suddenly having a problem with writing and speaking, specifically with being articulate. This has happened (temporarily) before as well. What do I do to get over this? [more inside]posted by anniecat at 10:38 AM PST - 22 comments

I have a 2001 Dodge Ram that I use when I need to haul things. It runs great, except in the morning after it rains. The truck will not want to rev beyond 1800-2000rpm. If I idle it or drive for for about 10 minutes the problems go away. Any ideas? [more inside]posted by geoff. at 10:37 AM PST - 9 comments

Went to a family run estate sale. The deceased was a student of some very famous Chicago photographers. The work was never really shown on a large scale. Some amazing stuff. I bought all of his negatives and prints. Thousands of images. They were sold by the direct relatives of the photographer to me. The big question, who owns the rights to the images? posted by Bighappyfunhouse at 10:28 AM PST - 8 comments

I keep noting a familiar pattern among my friends who "settle down" - either in marriage or a long-term relationship. They inevitably seem to cut themselves off from their friends and refuse to leave the house, even on weekends. Job situations remain a stable variable from their earlier, more social lives - the only thing that changes is the seriousness of the relationship. Kids being a time commitment (and source of exhaustion) I understand - but many if not most of the couples I'm describing do not have children.
Is this "normal"? Or is it dysfunctional? What causes it, do you think? posted by macross city flaneur at 10:25 AM PST - 83 comments

I'm a PM on a rather small-ish team and am currently in the position of being the most senior on the team in terms of knowing how our process works, but not the most senior person in terms of title (i.e. I am not the boss, but have one full-time PC and a temp PM that often turn to me with questions, including my boss who seems to either not want to learn our process or just doesn't seem to "get it"). [more inside]posted by Ham_On_Rye at 9:37 AM PST - 3 comments

I left the house last Wednesday afternoon for a week. My roommate was hospitalized for H1N1 on Friday. I am returning to our home tonight. What precautions should I take to sanitize the place/protect myself ? [more inside]posted by wannabehippie at 9:19 AM PST - 8 comments

I will be flying to Poland on Friday from San Francisco (SFO) on United with a transfer to LOT at JFK. Do I check in at the domestic or international terminal? [more inside]posted by The Light Fantastic at 9:16 AM PST - 9 comments

Hello! I am leading an Anatomy & Physiology study group for homeschooled teens. The aim is to work at the advanced high school level, but I'm using a college textbook (Thibodeau & Patton), as the illustrations and charts are more useful, and it might come in handy for them for later reference. But I'm not sure how deep to delve. [more inside]posted by houseofdanie at 8:26 AM PST - 3 comments

UKCoffeeFilter: I know nothing about coffee. My boyfriend is an aficionado. Help me buy him some beans for Christmas that will make him think I'm awesome. [more inside]posted by Coobeastie at 7:25 AM PST - 23 comments

Everyone has their if-I-win-the-lottery/if-my-company-gets-bought dreams. Mine involves settling down in a small house somewhere to a comfortable life of solitude with all the modern conveniences. But my daydreaming brain has an unfortunate practical streak, insisting on knowing exactly where I could do that, and would it be safe, how could I get food, yadda yadda. [more inside]posted by Billegible at 7:14 AM PST - 38 comments

I'm an old school IT tech who needs some certs on his resume to get past the HR drones. I'm looking at CompTIA and Microsoft certs as a start. What I need are some good sources for study. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not looking for a boot camp, just some good up to date study guides. Thank you.
Peace posted by Darktan at 7:06 AM PST - 11 comments

Can you recommend a good replacement for the "Today's Papers" feature on Slate.com? I liked that it surveyed a bunch of news/newspaper sites, and then they were conveniently summarized in one article. [more inside]posted by bluefly at 6:57 AM PST - 14 comments

When I read technical documents or books, my mind fuzzes over and I get easily distracted. It's hard for me to get a deep understanding of technical subjects. This is starting to become an issue professionally. What can I do? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 5:56 AM PST - 10 comments

Allergy Help Needed: I am having a skin test done on Friday and have had to stop all antihistamines until then. What can I do for allergy relief between now and my test? [more inside]posted by quodlibet at 2:28 AM PST - 21 comments

October 20

I'm finding in harder and harder to just let it this go without saying anything to these to 'friends' I have..I'll call them John and Betty. I have known John since high school and I met Betty a little bit later on in life. I basically brought the two of them together and since then, Betty turned into a passive aggressive horror show. I don't know what I did to make her react to me in this manner. What do you think I did wrong and what would you have done in this situation? I'm sorry this is so long. [more inside]posted by iabide79 at 10:49 PM PST - 29 comments

What is the probability that the worst will happen? My girlfriend lost her keys. What are the odds that someone will find all the right places to use these keys? [more inside]posted by AlliKat75 at 8:33 PM PST - 16 comments

Where in NYC can I buy or get the materials to create a simple (easy to wear and not too expensive) Halloween costume? I also need to think of a simple historical or pop-culture figure to be. Thank you, hive-mind! [more inside]posted by ac at 8:25 PM PST - 11 comments

I was just recently in Buenos Aires. The Time Out Guide had the maps in the back oriented with north facing down. Why? I would think southern hemisphere maps would still face north up due to magnetic north and wayfinding with a compass. Was this just a case of Time Out being wrong/different/thinking logically that the south pole would be the desired direction of orientation in the southern hemisphere?
And yes, we were perpetually lost until we flipped the guide upside down and west/east left/right were as they should be. posted by Keith Talent at 7:47 PM PST - 20 comments

The trees at my house lost a dozen or so large branches in the earliest snow on record in central PA. Do all of the branches falling signify a problem with the trees? Do I need to do anything to help the trees recover? [more inside]posted by cjemmott at 7:05 PM PST - 5 comments

Slim, but fat at the same time? I have a slim appearance, but I realize I am lacking the body mass that it matters the most, bone and muscle. I have very thin arms and somewhat weak upper-body. I am 35, male, 5'10" , 152lbs. As an adult, I know it is not possible to gain bone mass. How can I improve my physique so I can maintain decent fitness level when I get older? [more inside]posted by neworder7 at 6:03 PM PST - 10 comments

A friend and I are looking to rent an apartment together. We're both a bit cautious and want to draft an informal contract laying everything out. What would you make sure to specify in such a document? How do we split utilities we disagree on? [more inside]posted by fogster at 5:42 PM PST - 19 comments

My employer is impressed enough with my work that they want to promote me into a position which would ordinarily make for a great career move. I, however, am planning on leaving in a little over a year to earn a degree in a completely different field, and thus have no interest in the job (for reasons explained after the jump.) How do I diplomatically tell them no without jeopardizing my current position, and how much, if any, of my future plans do I mention to them? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 5:20 PM PST - 16 comments

Is it possible to fully recover from a severe, long-lasting depression? "I get the sense that you think that one day she will no longer be depressed. If that is the case, I am sorry to tell you that she will always be a depressed person. She may be less depressed at points and more depressed at others, but if her depression is this severe and long lasting, it's here to stay." Say it ain't so. [more inside]posted by moira at 5:03 PM PST - 26 comments

I need to put an older version (2.x) of Firefox onto my computer. I am using the latest Kubuntu version (Karmic, still in beta for a few more days). How do I do this? [more inside]posted by mannequito at 3:54 PM PST - 9 comments

About 5 years ago, I switched from PC to Mac. Now I'm most likely switching back. I have a couple of specific questions (about iTunes and viruses) and a few general questions. [more inside]posted by scody at 3:38 PM PST - 35 comments

I need a new job, and I need one by the end of the year, because I'm very close to walking out of the one I have now. Help me, hive mind, as I'm at my wits end. What the hell can I do that's in Philadelphia, doesn't require a car, isn't sales, and pays around $30k? [more inside]posted by SansPoint at 2:48 PM PST - 22 comments

What are some good meals for folks recovering at home from surgery? I want to bring some food to my friend, but he is too polite to say, "I want this, but none of that," etc. If you have had surgery, what were you able to eat? What did you absolutely not want? This is for a person who normally likes everything. The surgery isn't related to the mouth or GI tract. Thanks! posted by Knowyournuts at 1:53 PM PST - 18 comments

We decided to make the 3 hour drive to Dallas to spend a couple days for my wife's b-day. I've never been there so I could use some help finding a place to stay and some stuff to do. [more inside]posted by jluce50 at 1:44 PM PST - 14 comments

I’m in the process of divorcing, and starting to date seriously again. The catch: I’m absurdly young to be in this situation. How and when to break the news to dates? [more inside]posted by ripley_ at 1:44 PM PST - 25 comments

Does anyone own a patent for the button? As in, the button you press to turn on your tv, or to dial your phone, or to nuke the planet from orbit. not the button on your shirt. [more inside]posted by shmegegge at 1:08 PM PST - 8 comments

I want to go to school and learn about building small-scale (family or neighborhood level) projects in developing countries. Concentrating solar, passive cooling, irrigation, windmills, wave power, and that type of thing. There was a group at MIT making charcoal out of corncobs. I want to do that! But where do I start? What are some good programs? [more inside]posted by Nothing at 1:08 PM PST - 8 comments

Is it possible to learn C++ or matlab for financial engineering without a strong background in math or previous experience in computer science or engineering?
Any advice would be appreciated. posted by jsmith78 at 12:11 PM PST - 14 comments

If the three vows of the Franciscans and Dominicans are "chastity, poverty and obedience," what might be the vows that the artist takes? (I mean artist, of course, to cover writers and so on.) I ask this question because for people in a religious order, it is useful to remember what they are sacrificing; to keep it in mind as a given. [more inside]posted by PersonAndSalt at 11:14 AM PST - 17 comments

In softball/baseball, what areas of responsibility do the different umpire positions have? What tips or tricks should I know when I'm umpiring on the field? [more inside]posted by CancerMan at 11:14 AM PST - 11 comments

I need to setup an mp3 player for our phone system to play recordings on hold, but i need it to have a wall charger since it will be on all the time, and there is no USB connection nearby. Does anyone know of a cheap(sub $50) player that has that functionality. It would be really nice if it had a screen and not like an ipod shuffle. posted by Mesach at 10:16 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for a good restaurant near Rochester NY where we can go for Thanksgiving dinner. I can't see us cooking for hours when there's only going to be four of us this year.
My wife is going to want to eat a traditional turkey dinner, although I wouldn't mind eating a steak if I can get one. posted by 14580 at 9:42 AM PST - 4 comments

I sold a used 24 cf chest freezer on Craigslist, and a few days later the buyer calls and wants his money back because it stopped working. What's the right thing to do? [more inside]posted by c:\awesome at 7:25 AM PST - 50 comments

I'm having trouble connecting to the internet with Vista Home. I connect using a repeater and line of sight to a business next door to my office (with their permission). My laptop is a HP G60. The same laptop has a partition with ubuntu on it and it connects without a problem. A older laptop with XP on it connects also. Trying to connect with Vista Home is intermittent. Any of you hive members have any suggestions. posted by malhaley at 7:21 AM PST - 5 comments

Just finally got my Google Voice account!
I have been using Skype for a long time, and now with google voice I am finally ready to get rid of the cell phone all together. BUT, can anyone recommend a good piece of hardware, (The iPod Touch comes to mind) that I can use "like" a cell phone, with minimal tweaking, where wifi is available. A netbook would work, but a little big, can you hook up a mic to any Palm or anything? Thanks everyone. posted by Benzle at 7:01 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm female, just started seeing a guy, we're both in our thirties. We've made out a couple of times but are still fairly new to eachother physically. So far it's really nice, except for one thing: whenever, wherever he touches me, he does it in a repetitive circle. It never stops. And it makes me want to leap out of my skin and run screaming. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:52 AM PST - 38 comments

I'm compiling a set of 30-40 photographs related to any and all aspects of disease for a high school visual literacy project. The students are high school juniors who are struggling with literacy and writing. I'd love your suggestions for compelling, diverse, and striking images and sites that have collections of same. [more inside]posted by foxy_hedgehog at 6:28 AM PST - 3 comments

Can I leave out some educational background from my resume? I went to a university, then transferred and got a degree from another university. Will it harm me if I only list the university I got a degree from? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:17 AM PST - 14 comments

Can anyone recommend a good wrist watch with voice memo recording capability? I had a great watch the I bought at the Sharper Image (maybe Brookstone?) years back, but it has disappeared into my junk drawer and I'm looking for a similar replacement :) posted by WhereAmI at 6:12 AM PST - 6 comments

TorontoFilter: I have a ticket to go to this event on Friday, at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. I live in Rochester, NY. What are my options for getting there on time? [more inside]posted by agentmunroe at 5:48 AM PST - 11 comments

October 19

Is there a tool that's shaped and sized like a tweezers, but functions like a clothes pin....i.e. the jaws grip tightly unless released? I don't need particularly good quality, so I'm hoping there's something cheap that does this in hobby or hardware stores. posted by jimmyjimjim at 10:31 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm a new grad, only going to be in my current city for a few months, and I suddenly find myself unemployed. Oh, and I don't know what my career goals are, but I'm impatient to get started on them. How can I use my short term job hunt and work to build some long term goals? [more inside]posted by shanevsevil at 6:52 PM PST - 6 comments

I find that French red wine has a very distinctive body and aftertaste. Is this truly specific to French wine, or have I not found some equivalents elsewhere in the world? [more inside]posted by fantasticninety at 5:13 PM PST - 12 comments

I'm going to Wootstock in San Francisco on Tuesday night, and will be craving a gin and tonic afterward - specifically Junipero, because of this thread.
So, at the risk of turning MeFi into a gin palace: can anyone recommend a nice bar near the Swedish American Hall that serves a mean Junipero and tonic? [more inside]posted by The Shiny Thing at 5:06 PM PST - 14 comments

I was recently diagnosed with adult ADHD (inattentive type) and put on Adderall. I have very, very mixed feelings about this -- hopeful, because it seems to really be helping me in multiple areas of my life, but also anxious that it is a crutch that I can't use forever. Does anyone have any insight or anecdotes to help me either (1) feel better about being on Adderall, or (2) come up with an alternative plan to manage my issues? [more inside]posted by dumbledore69 at 5:00 PM PST - 23 comments

"He took too much LSD in the '60s". No, really. Any number of Americans approaching old age are doing so with long-term illegal drug habits. If you've seen the Osbournes on TV, Ozzy seems the picture of the sort of cognitive impairment you can expect someone to have after years of illegal drug use. Is this typical of such a person? Can someone be rendered mentally incompetent by means of a history of long-term illegal drug use? Would someone with obvious cognative impairment like Ozzy still be considered legally competant? posted by bunky at 4:42 PM PST - 38 comments

I bought Photoshop CS4 (Windows) on eBay (I know, dumb, dumb, dumb, and more dumb). Packaging, product numbers, and dvds looked real, and it worked for exactly 30 days. Adobe says that serial number is invalid. Have read stories on Internet about trojans in MAC Photoshop CS4 software. I've run spyware and virus scans and turn up nothing. Is there any way I can be sure that this counterfeit software hasn't left a rootkit or something else nasty on my computer. Thanks! posted by cyrreb at 4:07 PM PST - 12 comments

When I was a kid, I remember a series of biographies in the library, either in the kids or YA section. They were short biographies of American figures, and I'm sure I read all the ones with female subjects. Can anyone help identify this series? I'd love to have some of these books for my niece when she's old enough. [more inside]posted by whitearrow at 4:02 PM PST - 12 comments

A year or two back there was an online video (Boingboing tv?) showing an interview with a young artist (British?) who had mounted a camera behind and above his back, which fed the live video to goggles he wore. He'd also dressed in a getup that would make him look like a game character, spiky hair and such. "Live 3rd person perspective" in other words.
Half an hour of googling and I can't find the darn video or any info relating to the artist. I think part of the video was shot in Japan, where he staggered around and posed in front of people, á la WoW taunting. posted by monocultured at 3:58 PM PST - 2 comments

I'd like to read a book about the Dreamtime of the Australians. I was kind of thinking about reading Chatwin, but thesecomments have made a little wary; I don't particularly want to read about another outsider's spiritual journey, and I don't want a New Agey attempt-at-universal-religion haphazardly mixed in with basic anthropological records. Can you recommend a solid book about Dreamtime? posted by Greg Nog at 2:39 PM PST - 10 comments

Knee surgeries, spinal injuries and systemic arthritis. No heath insurance. This has stopped me from moving around very much. Now I'm Rubenesque. There's been a ton of advice on exercise, but none of it seems to be aimed towards the movement impaired. Yoga has been helpful for regaining some mobility, but isn't helping with weight loss. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 2:25 PM PST - 20 comments

I want to issue a single search engine query that limits itself to a list of say ten to twenty specified domains. How? Google, for example, allows a single site:blah.com query term that restricts to blah.com, but what if I need to to search for say, for the term widget, at all of the sites in the list blah.com, blag.org, blahblah.edu, etc? I could issue multiple queries, but I want a single homogenized list of results...
Best marks will go to the query that can be used in an OpenSearch descriptor, or to a way of setting an OpenSearch descriptor to search several sites. posted by blue_wardrobe at 1:41 PM PST - 6 comments

Help me get my AutoArchived e-mail out of MS Outlook and the info from off Exchange server before work shuts it down tonight, please. I'm dumbfounded. [more inside]posted by willie11 at 1:40 PM PST - 8 comments

I am a 35 year old female who has all of a sudden developed a potbelly. What to do? I have no experience with dieting and little with exercise. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 1:31 PM PST - 27 comments

I have 2 hours to lecture to a bunch of 18 year-olds how to write well. The bulk of their work-load will be somewhere along the lines of position papers, research papers and summaries of conferences. How do I keep them glued to their chairs?
More info in explanation. [more inside]posted by eytanb at 1:22 PM PST - 9 comments

What is a "firewall rule group"? When recently trying to install an MP3 player on my laptop, I was met with an error message that read "Operation Create Wireless Firewall Rule Group has failed," followed by Microsoft error code 0X80070057.
I've searched around but haven't found much info on "rule groups." What is a firewall rule group, and is my wireless router somehow interrupting my hardware installation? Thanks! posted by jackypaper at 12:27 PM PST - 1 comment

So there are dozens of posts on AskMeFi raising the question of how to mask or remove a bad smell. But I have the opposite dilemma: I wasnt to create a bad smell. Not something so abhorrent that people wretch, but a clearly noticeable odour that perhaps evokes decay or sickness or death. And before you start calling the police, it's for a Halloween show. Thoughts on how to disperse said smell (using a plug-in mister? Using a fan?) gladly accepted. posted by skylar at 12:26 PM PST - 28 comments

Looking for a discreet audio recording device (not one of the typical voice memo recording sticks you get at radio shack, this must be discreet). I am a public speaker at my company and I typically speak at multiple meetings per day, with no time to take notes for follow-up questions.
I need a stand-alone audio recorder that is discreet (wrist watch, pen, etc.) and that can handle at least 8 hours of recording on 1 charge / 1 set of batteries. [more inside]posted by thankyoumuchly at 12:13 PM PST - 19 comments

I recently started working with fondant and have made 2 practice cakes now in preparation for making my son's groom's cake for his wedding at the end of this month. I pretty much have the whole rolling it out and draping it over the cake part down, but I can't get it to look smooth & glossy like it does in the pictures and videos I have studied. [more inside]posted by PrettyGeekAtx at 11:30 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm a gamer. I bought a mac. After going through a lot of hassles with Boot Camp, I've decided to switch back. I'll get around $1700 for returning the mac... My question is, would it be better to buy a laptop around this price or sell my desktop as well to up my budget? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 11:23 AM PST - 14 comments

PERL filter: I'm a PERL ignoramus and trying to run a script from Baseball Hacks to download a bunch of zipped files from retrosheet.org. I'm getting an error that says: URL must be absolute. I can't figure out how to make the url absolute, as each file's location is different and supplied by variable values. Any hints would be super appreciated. (Script is after the jump). [more inside]posted by bluejayway at 11:23 AM PST - 8 comments

Chicago home improvement filter: We'd like to get an estimate for installing radiant-heat flooring in our condo (6-flat built at the turn of the last century. We own a duplex down, with the primary living area being on the ground floor) or possibly replacing the HVAC with baseboard heating. Anything, really, because the conversion from whatever-it-was to the gas furnace HVAC it now is was badly done and the place is freezing all the time. Any business or contractors you recommend? Suggestions for going about this the right way? Dire warnings? [more inside]posted by crush-onastick at 11:10 AM PST - 7 comments

I hate my job, and as long as I'm still in the job it's hard for me to look for a new one. But should I stick it out or just take my chances? I know similar questions have been asked, but the details differ enough that I hope the hive mind will not mind my asking and be able to offer some perspective. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 10:54 AM PST - 10 comments

I've been with my current girlfriend for about 6 months. We are sexually active and have intercourse about 5 times per week (sometimes more frequently). However, throughout our relationship, my girlfriend has only touched my penis twice. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 10:37 AM PST - 26 comments

So its about time to get a new leather jacket. I'm male and looking for either a "car coat" or "walking coat" style and I need it in ~2XLT. I can't find anything good at Burlington, Zappos, or Wilsons.
Anyone have a good idea where else to hunt something like this up online? I don't necessarily need to purchase it online, but at least hunt for a jacket whose look I like. posted by Ikazuchi at 10:21 AM PST - 5 comments

Is there a regional airport that would make it easier for me to get to Red Bank, New Jersey as compared to going into the dreaded Newark Airport (EWR)? [more inside]posted by Dave. at 10:16 AM PST - 16 comments

Visiting a friend who lives in Franklin, TN this weekend, but will have Sunday afternoon free. What should I do there or in Nashville on my own? [more inside]posted by radicarian at 9:16 AM PST - 10 comments

Hi, I'm going to be in the Munich area over the holidays and I want to find a place to hang out and drink. I've lived there already and I'm over the typical Bavarian biergarten/hall scene.
Ideally, I'm looking for somewhere cozy and student oriented, good music playing (indie, downtempo, alternative hip-hop etc) and good, natural lighting for people watching.
100 super bonus points if their beer of choice is Augustiner!!!
Thank you!!!!! posted by badish at 9:11 AM PST - 4 comments

We're moving in about a week to the Kansas City area and I'm trying to find all the necessary amenities around our new place. What websites do you use to find things around the Kansas City area? [more inside]posted by tdreyer at 8:45 AM PST - 8 comments

My kid spent the night with his friend. The next day, thinking he's still at the friend's house, I get a phone call from the local grocery store. Seems my kid was shoplifting. Now, both of the mom's involved are angry with each other. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:15 AM PST - 48 comments

This is going to be gross: I'm a 25 year old female. Until now I have had extremely regular periods which last 6 days with a 12-18 hour gap on day 5 (no idea why). I am not on any kind of birth control and have not been on any kind of birth control for over a year. This month's period began on the standard day, except now I'm going on my 14th straight day of bleeding. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 8:14 AM PST - 11 comments

I need to hire a car to drive from Bristol, UK and to drop off in Haarlem Netherlands. Avis says no, europecar says no, hertz are difficult to get hold of. Suggestions? Recommendations? posted by gonzo_ID at 3:10 AM PST - 12 comments

I want to give a book to a young friend but I can't remember the title and the librarian could not find it either. Book teaches about Gandhi in a cool way. [more inside]posted by CollegeNelson at 9:43 PM PST - 2 comments

So I've been coveting a sewing machine cabinet for a couple of reasons. They're expensive, but I find affordable used ones at a local thrift store and on craigslist pretty regularly. However, I don't know what I'm doing! [more inside]posted by dilettante at 8:08 PM PST - 3 comments

I don't think this is, strictly speaking, supposed to happen: meat often comes out of my head when I'm sick. Why? What does it portend? [Warning: so gross.] [more inside]posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 7:31 PM PST - 20 comments

I'm thinking of applying to spend a year at university in Europe studying political science, public policy, or law. Help me find a programme! [more inside]posted by anonymous at 6:38 PM PST - 7 comments

Is the idea of experimenting with a same sex relationship even smart when you aren't sure it is something you would consider in a long term way? [more inside]posted by anonymous at 3:16 PM PST - 24 comments

A little while back I heard a bass guitar player with some kind of amazing live looping set-up - what on earth was it? I keep wondering what he was doing. All I could see was that he was grabbing (sampling) things he was playing, as he was playing them (ie while he was continuing to play), using foot pedals of some sort, and then incorporating those loops into the rest of the track. Amazing. But how? posted by monster max at 3:01 PM PST - 20 comments

Looking for good books/resources about the 17th century Anglo-Dutch maritime wars. For a project I'm doing, I'd like to get more historical detail about what the Dutch call the English Wars and what the English call the Dutch wars. While I am interested in the specific facts, I'm more interested in getting a sense of time and place, both for those who were at sea and for those at home in the two countries. Do you know any fascinating books (non-fiction or historical fiction) that reference these events? posted by judith at 2:40 PM PST - 10 comments

My dog's really, really itchy, and my vet hasn't been much help. She's got bumps, sores, and the occasional scab on her underside. Allergy treatments haven't been much help (barring prednisone which isn't really a long-term solution) nor have special skin-treatment foods. And she doesn't have parasites, either. I'm kind of at a loss. [more inside]posted by shirobara at 2:07 PM PST - 23 comments

How can I train myself to study better at night? I'm in grad school and I need to use those evening hours for work - I just can't seem to concentrate in the evenings, regardless of if I was working during the day! I'm not a night person - but I need to be. [more inside]posted by piper4 at 1:38 PM PST - 17 comments

How do I cope with my angry teenage daughter? After an somewhat nonsensical rant about how hard her life is (I wanted to chat with her about applying to colleges and how the process was going), she dropped the bomb that she doesn't trust me and therefore doesn't have to talk to me. [more inside]posted by dzaz at 1:01 PM PST - 42 comments

I have a Touch Pro (Fuze) on WinMo 6.5. From my understanding, my text messages are being handled by pocket outlook. Can I use something besides outlook? [more inside]posted by Zeker at 12:48 PM PST - 1 comment

Trying to find a Catholic night time prayer, very similar to the Prayer For Daily Neglect, that was included in a small booklet of Catholic prayers recently distributed via pew pockets, July or August in the Lubbock dioceses. It was also a three-part prayer, and was also for neglects, but worded differently than the "official" prayer. Basically, it contained to the effect of a "provide the good I saw but did not do", a "complete the good that I did incompletely", and another part. Any clues? Google came up empty for me. posted by CodeBaloo at 11:20 AM PST - 2 comments

Asking on behalf of a friend: She (age 26) is looking for a sliding-scale therapist in LA. She lives in the Culver City area and works downtown. Complication: she works 9-5, and her job is not flexible, so evening or weekend hours are a must. She would prefer someone who specializes in body image (she is an emotional eater and overweight) and/or in working with queer/gay individuals. [more inside]posted by insectosaurus at 11:14 AM PST - 4 comments

Are there any better tools for transferring about a terabyte of files over a local network than just dragging and dropping in Windows? Specifically, is there a tool that can pick up and double-check files once they've been copied over? [more inside]posted by saysthis at 11:03 AM PST - 16 comments

How can I stop my glistening wit from faltering when I become so obviously intimidated by certain people? Details inside, and don't worry, I won't mention my wit again. [more inside]posted by anonymous at 10:23 AM PST - 7 comments

toolfilter: if you own a can of wd-40 "smart straw" spray, are you able to remove the "smart straw top" and place it onto a different spray can and does it work there? [more inside]posted by jak68 at 10:18 AM PST - 9 comments

I recall reading in a thread about a trick used in movies to simulate the background noise of a crowd engaged in a number of separate conversations - like a party - by having a small number of people repeat a few syllables out of sync with each other.
What were the details of this? posted by srboisvert at 9:43 AM PST - 15 comments

Where can I find leather-free clothing in Paris? Specifically, I'm looking for boots and shoes, but bonus points for jackets, belts and the like. [more inside]posted by nicoleincanada at 9:21 AM PST - 3 comments

You're an entrepreneur who likes technology. You love the internet, you love to talk business, and you hang out with other people who are like you. Maybe your area even has an "official" group of tech business owners of many ages who get together to joke about clients, share advice, and try out new toys. Where do you live? [more inside]posted by PatoPata at 9:17 AM PST - 17 comments

Besides crepes, what do you make with a crepe maker?
I bought a Cuchina Pro 12" crepe maker. At less than $40, it's a great value, makes wonderful crepes. I'm wondering what else I can make with it, in the same way that, say, Rice Cooker cookbooks suggest non-rice dishes. [more inside]posted by portabella at 8:56 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm thinking of going to culinary school for baking and pastry. Right now Johnson & Wales in RI is the front runner. My question: is JWU worth it, or should I be looking elsewhere? [more inside]posted by firei at 8:54 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for a list of American Literary Time Periods along with the essential works for each time period (all genres)? Define the time period, if possible, with a list of qualities which embody the literary essence of that time period, both in content and style. Extra credit for other source to accompany your answers. Thanks all. posted by boots77 at 5:48 AM PST - 9 comments

Relationship filter: He's an Austrian in Austria, I'm an American in America, and I have ADHD/Inattentive type. He's not familiar with this concept. What books can I suggest to him? [more inside]posted by bilabial at 5:30 AM PST - 7 comments

Were the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics broadcast on tape delay in the United States? How can I figure out the TV schedule? Anecdotes of events you remember watching would help. [more inside]posted by alicat at 5:26 AM PST - 7 comments

I just complete a two year technical degree, now I find that I am un-happy with my future job and that the economic outlook for work is terrible. I want to find something that will use my skills and education as leverage for an assortment of different careers. Are there website(s) that can compute this for me? could you suggest for me some occupations given a brief description (inside)... [more inside]posted by audio at 12:23 AM PST - 8 comments

I need help helping my wife figure out what to do with her life. I am a very lucky person who has known for a long time that I wanted to be an engineer. I love math and science, and truthfully I can think of lots of jobs that would probably satisfy me. However, I recognize that I am in the minority in this position, and my wife, sadly, falls into the other group. She has been feeling particularly down about finding her purpose for quite a while now, and I need to figure out how to help her. Read on for the details! [more inside]posted by RobotNinja at 12:20 AM PST - 15 comments

October 17

I've to hand in a group assignment tomorrow and the input from one of the members is crap- terrible writing, no references, no clue, nice guy. I want to remain friends but want to dramatically edit his work. How can I break it to him that his work needed treatment? I'm terrible at this sort of thing. btw, this thread doesn't really answer my question as we're handing in tomorrow. Also- he's old buddies with the other group member who I don't know very well. posted by mattoxic at 11:58 PM PST - 26 comments

I injured my big toe and want/need to wear closed toed shoes but the top of the toe is still too sensitive. Can you help me come up with some sort of "toe protector" to ...well, protect my toe. (Gory details kept to a minimum, but some info is necessary to explain.) [more inside]posted by Ochre,Hugh at 10:43 PM PST - 8 comments

After divorce, how can I learn to be a confident, whole individual without being in a relationship? I'm struggling with insecurity, I feel like there is a part of me missing, and I've gotten myself so worked up about it that I'm in a state of "analysis paralysis." Please help me break through that paralysis! [more inside]posted by MultiFaceted at 9:38 PM PST - 23 comments

Years ago on his Magic Show (80s, UK TV) I watched Paul Daniels pour apparently hundreds of different drinks from a single magic kettle. It freaked me out a little at the time and even now I'd love to know - how does that trick work? posted by Fiery Jack at 5:59 PM PST - 8 comments

In the newest podcast(direct download link) from vintagehorror.com, there is some really beautiful string music playing behind the narrator as he reads Poe's "manuscript found in a bottle" What is it? [more inside]posted by tylerfulltilt at 5:06 PM PST - 5 comments

New-York-Filter: How big is the Spanish speaking community around Columbia University Medical Center? How many of their patients are Spanish speakers? [more inside]posted by chrisalbon at 4:00 PM PST - 18 comments

What is special about a square surgical knot? It seems like the regular kind of knot I use to tie my shoes, just using a very specific hand technique. Is there any advantage to this knot tying technique? posted by Brennus at 3:09 PM PST - 5 comments

I've read that it's a bad idea to plant small plants into larger pots (the idea being that they will grow into the large pot). Instead, you're supposed to keep the plant in the smallest appropriate container and move up as it grows. Why? What will happen if I just start a plant in a container that's bigger than it needs? posted by tumbleweedjack at 1:50 PM PST - 7 comments

My wife is going mad looking for BPA-free teething toys for our 5-month old. Can you point me to web sites (or other resources) that might help us find such toys? [more inside]posted by ajr at 11:54 AM PST - 15 comments

I just finished reading Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, and really enjoyed it. I'd love to read other World War I novels with fantasy/science-fiction/steampunk twists. Are there any? [more inside]posted by Caduceus at 11:08 AM PST - 17 comments

I am taking an intro to materials science class, and in which we have learned about Miller indices, which are a way of denoting directions and planes in a unit cell. So far we have done nothing with this other than draw directions and planes. I was wondering, is this just a notational convention or is there some reason why they are the way they are, as in does it make some more advanced math easier or something? posted by selenized at 9:52 AM PST - 6 comments

Yet another Halloween costume question: I'd like to go as His Infernal Majesty, the Prince of Darkness. But not the obvious horns-and-tail-and-pitchfork version... [more inside]posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:46 AM PST - 37 comments

I've recently begun work on a children's book. It is inspired by my granddaughter. I was wondering if anyone had any information on how to get a children's book published? Suggested Publishers? Also, any other information pertaining to this process, would be appreciated. ***I realize that children's books are a dime a dozen...but mine just might be spectacular ;)*** posted by gypseefire at 4:49 AM PST - 4 comments

Is a short-course culinary school worth it? Does it offer any cred toward haute cuisine sous-chef and chef positions, or is it for suckers who'll work at Applebees forever? [more inside]posted by Netzapper at 3:03 AM PST - 13 comments

Modern Minimalist Orchestral Music Filter: Could you help me find music similar in mood and sound to a particular piece by Yoko Kanno? "Twinkle" on the Macross Frontier O.S.T.1 is beautiful and I want more! [more inside]posted by Mizu at 12:44 AM PST - 12 comments

JetLagFilter: Traveled from Beijing to New York 3 days ago, and I'm pretty sure my jet lag symptoms are getting worse, not better. How do I stop messing myself up and start improving things? [more inside]posted by alight at 12:31 AM PST - 14 comments

October 16

My fiancee and I were just now woken up by the sound of a large explosion right in our bedroom. Almost like a gunshot but not quite that loud. And I think I saw a flash of light. Both seemed to come from near the ceiling by the door. I turned on one of the lights but there's no residue I can see from anything. Nothing seems to be broken in terms of lights or circuits. Was it some kind of giant static discharge? [more inside]posted by kmz at 11:36 PM PST - 31 comments

I was once shown how to prepare a brand new book before reading it– it had something to do with opening the book at various places and smoothing down the pages. Supposedly it would make the binding last longer. Does this actually work, and if so, could anyone describe the process clearly? Any other advice on good book care and repair for this new librarian would be greatly appreciated. posted by carterk at 10:10 PM PST - 11 comments

What do I do now (with regard to law school applications)?
So, I retook the LSAT in hopes of improving on my original score (166). I scored exactly the same. Now I'm not sure what to do-should retake it a third time? Just submit my applications early (end of this month) and hope for the best? [more inside]posted by Sakura3210 at 8:50 PM PST - 16 comments

When I was growing up, the graphs in all the science books from the middle of the 20th century had a particular vector-plotted look to them. Did they use a common font (or common plotting system), and how can I duplicate that appearance now? [more inside]posted by dfan at 8:10 PM PST - 5 comments

It's 6:30 P.M. on a Friday/Saturday. You're in San Francisco. All of your friends are doing something else. There's no Sharks game on. The Symphony and the Opera are sold out. The library is closed. You've read the newspapers front to back. You have to start heading home by 10:30 P.M.
What do you do? [more inside]posted by clorox at 6:39 PM PST - 21 comments

Used Car Buying Time! Is there a website that allows a user to enter the model car they want to buy with the amount they want to pay that dealers can look at and make an offer? posted by meeshell at 6:21 PM PST - 3 comments

I'm seeking to expand my repertoire of sitcom shows.
Please suggest some series that have a similar type of humour as the shows I've outlined below. [more inside]posted by PowerCat at 5:02 PM PST - 45 comments

I always hate my voicemail / answering machine message. I feel really lame whenever I say any of the little scripts I have heard or thought up. NEW VOICEMAIL MESSAGE SCRIPTS please! All ideas welcome, from simple to funny to irreverant. (Or even pre-recorded messages I could download, good songs, anything!) posted by nomnomnom at 3:19 PM PST - 52 comments

I'm afraid my old dog's mind is going before his body -- he's peeing on the floor, growls and snaps at us when we try to put him outside, and other odd behaviors. How should my wife and I handle this? [more inside]posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 1:23 PM PST - 20 comments

I'm in the second week of recovery from SLAP/Bankart surgery on my shoulder and might be fretting too much about it, but I'm a surgery n00b and have no idea what recovery is supposed to be like. Then, too, I decided surgery is not much fun and would like to figure out how to avoid having any more of it. I would like advice on both. [more inside]posted by jet_silver at 1:20 PM PST - 3 comments